Pune News: Grade 9 Marathi Exam Paper Leaked Online, SCERT Files FIR Against YouTube Channels
Maharashtra Board Opens Online Applications For 2026 HSC Exams from Today
PUNE – The integrity of Maharashtra’s Periodic Assessment Test (PAT) has come under serious scrutiny once again after the Grade 9 Marathi question paper for PAT Test No. 2 was leaked online ahead of the scheduled exam. The Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has lodged an FIR with the Pune police cyber cell in response to the breach.
The leak was traced to a video posted on a YouTube channel named ‘Tutor ADM’, which reportedly provided a detailed walkthrough of the actual question paper. The video, titled “PAT Test Number 2 – 2025,” clearly featured the original content of the exam, indicating a significant compromise in exam confidentiality.
SCERT director Rahul Rekhawar confirmed the leak, stating, “Yes, it is true that the question paper for tomorrow’s exam was leaked. An FIR is being registered against those YouTube channels. We are working with the police to get them taken down.”
The incident has sparked outrage among educators and raised concerns over the credibility of the PAT exams. Critics have questioned the department’s ability to protect sensitive materials, especially considering the substantial financial investment into the assessment system under SCERT’s STARS project.
Despite the breach, SCERT has instructed schools to continue conducting PAT and annual exams for grades 3 to 9 as per the existing schedule. The Headmasters’ Association also confirmed that the PAT exams will proceed under SCERT’s timeline, while annual exams will be held as per the association’s own calendar.
Mahendra Ganpule, former vice-president of the Maharashtra State Headmasters’ Association, said the issue is not new. “In previous years, we’ve seen printed question papers found on the streets. The way SCERT sends these paper bundles to schools, like newspaper deliveries, only increases the risk of leaks,” he said.
This latest incident has deepened concerns about the security of the exam process and prompted calls for stricter protocols to ensure fairness in student assessments.
