Uttar Pradesh: Put ₹100 in answer sheets, says school principal to students; arrested

In Uttar Pradesh, a school principal has been arrested after he was caught on camera giving suggestion to students on cheating in the ongoing board exams. Uttar Pradesh Secondary Education Board (UPSEB) exams has started on Tuesday.

Manager-cum-principal of Harivansh Memorial Inter College in Mau district, Praveen Mall was filmed secretly by a one of the students on his mobile phone when he was addressing them. Mau is about 300 kilometers from Lucknow,

In the viral clip, the principal can be seen giving a talk to students, in the presence of some parents, about how to cheat in board exams and beat the strict measures put in place by the state government.

The student uploaded the clip, with a complaint, on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's grievance portal, which leading to Mall's arrest.

"I can challenge that none of my students ever fail... they have nothing to be scared of," Mall said in nearly two minute-long clip.

"You can talk among yourselves and write the papers. Don't touch anyone's hands. You speak to each other... that is fine. Don't be scared. The teachers at your government school exam centres are my friends. Even if you get caught and someone gives you a slap or two, don't be scared. Just bear with them.”

"Don't leave any answers. Just put a Rs. 100 note in the answer sheet... the teachers will blindly give you marks. Even if you answer a question wrongly, which is for four marks, they will give you three marks," Mall says. Mall ends his address with, "Jai Hindi, Jai Bharat".

Around 56 lakh candidates from Class 10 and Class 12 are appearing for the state board exams, which had began on Tuesday. Yogi government has made extensive arrangements to check mass cheating and arrest those who facilitate such practices.