Mumbai, June 27: The Maharashtra Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled following a significant paper leak incident that occurred approximately 24 hours prior to the exam. The Maharashtra State Examination Council (MSEC) has announced that new dates for the examination will be communicated later.
According to police reports, multiple raids were conducted in the Bhivandi area of Thane after the leak was reported. Officials from the examination council were summoned to verify the seized papers. Several individuals have been taken into custody, although the exact number has not been disclosed. This exam was set to see participation from over 428,000 candidates, making it a critical requirement for aspiring teachers in Maharashtra.
Despite extensive security measures, including the establishment of 1,729 examination centres equipped with 18,000 AI-based CCTV cameras, the leak has raised serious concerns. Each centre was to be monitored from state and district control rooms, with biometric and facial recognition systems in place. Candidates were also subjected to metal detector screenings, and strict regulations prohibited mobile phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices. Identification documents such as Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID, or driving licenses were mandatory for entry.
This incident follows a troubling trend of paper leaks in India, with significant examinations like NEET and the UP Police recruitment test also facing similar issues in recent years. Over the past five years, there have been ten major paper leak cases reported across the country.
In a related context, the Supreme Court recently mandated that all teachers currently employed in schools must pass the TET. The deadline for passing the exam has been extended to August 31, 2028, with the court emphasizing that no further extensions will be granted. This decision impacts over two million teachers nationwide, highlighting the importance of maintaining educational standards.
The court’s ruling comes in response to petitions from state governments, teacher organizations, and individual educators, reflecting ongoing concerns about the qualifications of teachers appointed before the implementation of the RTE Act in 2009.
The situation continues to unfold as authorities work to address the implications of this significant breach in examination integrity.