No Room for Cheating: CBSE to Impose 2-Year Ban on Malpractice

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has moulded the teaching-learning process to check the integrity of the boards for 2025 Class X and Class XII and warned students of dire consequences if found indulging in any malpractice. The board exams for more than 44 lakh candidates in 204 subjects will commence on February 15, 2025; therefore, CBSE is committed to a fair and transparent examination process. Those students who will be caught cheating or possessing prohibited items will not only have their current examination cancelled but will also be barred for two years from appearing in any examination conducted by the CBSE.

Rules-regarding-unfair-practice UFM

There is no leniency left for the students in the Updated Unfair Means Rules (UFM) set by the CBSE. Students have been subjected to these measures for maximum penalty in case they are found using unfair means like cheating, carrying breaches, or any form of other communication during the examinations. This ensures that with these measures every student finds an equal and fair opportunity to perform up to their potential. 

Use of Electronic Devices and Malpractices

CBSE has intensified its monitoring of electronic devices at examination centres. Students found using or attempting to use devices such as mobile phones, smartwatches, or Bluetooth earphones after entering the examination hall will face severe penalties. These violations are categorized as Category-3 offences and will lead to the cancellation of both the current exam and exams in the following year.

Additionally, students involved in acts of violence, threatening examination staff, or forcibly entering or exiting the examination centre will also be subject to strict penalties under the same rules.

Action against fraudulent behaviour

Impersonation is regarded as one of the gravest offences in the examination process. Students who arrange for someone else to take an exam on their behalf will face severe consequences, including the cancellation of their current exams and a ban from appearing in any CBSE exams for up to three years. They will also be required to retake all subjects in subsequent years.

Additionally, students attempt to manipulate the examination process. Students who arrange for someone else to take an exam on their behalf will face severe consequences, including the cancellation of their current exams and a ban from appearing in any CBSE exams for up to three years. They will also be required to retake all subjects in subsequent years.

List of Permitted Items

Admit Card & School Identity Card (for regular students)

• Admit Card & Any Government Issued Photo Identity Proof (for private students)

• Stationery items: Transparent pouch, Geometry/Pencil box, Blue/Royal Blue ink/ballpoint/gel pen, Scale, Writing pad, Eraser

• Analogue watch

• Transparent water bottle

• Metro card, bus pass, money

List of Banned Items

Students are strictly prohibited from bringing the following items into the examination halls:

• Stationery items include textual material (printed or written), pens, calculators, log tables, electronic pens/scanners, etc.

• Any communication devices including mobile phones, Bluetooth, earphones, microphones, pagers, smart watches, and cameras

• Personal items such as wallets, sunglasses, handbags, pouches, and any eatables (except for diabetic students)

• Any items that could be used for unfair means

Students found in possession of any of the barred items will face penalties as per the UFM rules.

Dress Code

CBSE has specified a dress code for students appearing for the 2025 exams:

• For Regular Students: School uniform

• For Private Students: Light clothes

The dress code aims to maintain uniformity and ensure that students do not carry any prohibited items hidden under their clothing.

Offences and Their Penalties

CBSE has established a set of clear guidelines to address violations of examination rules. Here’s a breakdown of the key actions that will be taken in response to unfair means.

Possession of Prohibited Materials

If a student is found with materials not allowed in the examination hall, such as notes, books, or previous year’s question papers, their current exam will be cancelled in that subject. They may still be allowed to take the exam in a subsequent compartment exam, provided they meet eligibility requirements.

Communication During the Examination

Any attempt to contact someone outside the exam centre or communicate with other students will result in the cancellation of the exam in the affected subject.

Use of Electronic Devices

The use of mobile phones, smart watches, or any electronic devices that can be used for communication is strictly prohibited. Students found guilty will have their exams cancelled for both the current and the following year.

Violence or Threatening Behaviour

Any form of violence, including threatening staff members or fellow students, will result in the cancellation of the student’s exams for both the current year and the following year. Serious disciplinary action may also be taken against the student.

Impersonation and Fraudulent Behaviour

If a student is found guilty of impersonation or attempting to gain an unfair advantage by sharing exam-related materials on social media, their exams for the next three years will be cancelled, and they will be barred from taking exams for that period.

Why These Rules Matter

The CBSE’s stringent measures aim to promote a culture of fairness and transparency in the examination process. Against the backdrop of millions of students depending upon it for their future, there exists hardly any alternative to sustaining a system where merit is of singular weight. These updated rules and penalties reiterate the importance of integrity in a school setting, and that students therefore must approach their exams with a sense of honesty and commitment.