Teacher Accused of Sharing Exam Questions on WhatsApp

A teacher at a government secondary school in Panchagarh has been accused of sending examination questions to a student via WhatsApp before the start of a half-yearly examination, prompting the school authorities and local administration to launch separate investigations into the alleged breach.

The allegation centres on Mahadev Ray, an assistant teacher of English at Nripendra Narayan Government High School in Debiganj upazila. The claim surfaced after a WhatsApp screenshot, reportedly obtained during the examination, appeared to match part of the English First Paper question used in the Class 10 half-yearly examination.

According to information obtained during the exam on Wednesday, a comparison between the WhatsApp conversation and the official question paper revealed that the content of Question No. 2, including all five of its sections, was identical. The screenshot allegedly showed the questions being sent from a WhatsApp account saved under the name “Mahadev Sir”.

Sources familiar with the matter said the questions were not sent in a single message. Instead, they were allegedly shared in several stages, with different portions of the examination paper being transmitted separately to the student before the test began.

School sources said the English First Paper examination for Class 10 had been prepared by Mahadev Ray himself. Under the institution’s established examination procedures, the teacher responsible for setting the question paper is also required to print it, seal it in an envelope and submit it to the acting head teacher. The sealed envelope is then opened only at the scheduled time immediately before the examination begins.

Because of that procedure, school officials indicated that any unauthorised disclosure of the question paper before the examination would raise serious concerns regarding the security of the document during the period in which it remained under the responsibility of the question setter.

The incident has triggered concern among students, parents and education officials, as maintaining the confidentiality of examination papers is considered fundamental to ensuring fairness and credibility in the assessment process. Allegations of question leaks can undermine confidence in public examinations and internal school assessments alike, even when they involve a limited number of students.

Attempts were made to contact Mahadev Ray by telephone for his response to the allegation. However, despite repeated calls, he did not answer, and no public statement had been issued by him at the time the allegation became public.

Acting Head Teacher G. M. Ruhul Amin confirmed that the school had become aware of the allegation involving the Class 10 English First Paper examination. He said the matter would be investigated internally and that appropriate action would be taken if the allegation was substantiated.

“The issue of the Class 10 English First Paper question being leaked has come to our attention. We will conduct an internal investigation and take the necessary action based on its findings,” he said.

The local administration has also stepped in following the allegation.

Debiganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Indrajit Saha said the authorities had been informed of the incident and would visit the school to investigate the matter. He added that appropriate legal action would be taken if the investigation established that any laws or regulations had been violated.

The outcome of the school inquiry and the administrative investigation is expected to determine whether disciplinary measures or legal proceedings will follow.

The allegation has once again highlighted the importance of safeguarding examination materials and ensuring that established protocols are strictly followed. Educational institutions routinely rely on confidential handling procedures to protect the integrity of examinations, and any breach of those procedures can have serious consequences for students, teachers and the credibility of the education system. Until the investigations are completed, the allegation against the teacher remains under official scrutiny.