NIOS Exams: Over 35,000 cheating cases reported since 2022, education ministry tells Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: A total of 35,793 cheating cases have been reported since 2022 during the National Institute of Open Schooling ( NIOS) board examination, minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary told the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The data was shared in response to a query by Geniben Nagaji Thakor, the lone MP from Indian National Congress in Gujarat.

The NIOS board examination is conducted twice in a year for students who have dropped out of schools or formal education.

NIOS exams: ‘Unfair means’ cases

The year 2023 was found to be the most problematic for the National Institute of Open Schooling with 17,196 cases detected during the April examination alone, while the total number of “unfair means” cases reported was 18,675 the same year. The previous year 2022 saw 16,189 such incidents.

Number of ‘Unfair Means’ cases since 2022

The 2024 number does not include the October examination result as it's yet not announced.

Chaudhary also cited different steps taken by NIOS to curb cheating cases. He said, “NIOS appoints observers and flying squads and monitors the smooth conduct of the examinations. Examination centres on which complaints are received are subjected to special evaluation, instances of copying and mass copying are identified and suitable penalties are imposed by the Unfair Means Committee as per the Bye-laws Governing Examination and Certification 2012 of NIOS”.

“The Bye-laws Governing Examination and Certification 2012 of NIOS have been amended to permanently debar the erring Institutions/ Schools from becoming the examinations centres of NIOS,” he added.

This year has been a tumultuous one for NIOS in general. Saroj Sharma was removed from the post of chairperson over a scandal involving the death of her driver and Pankaj Arora, current chairperson of the National Council for Teacher Education was given additional charge.