The leak of Christmas exam question papers for the 10th and 12th classes is a matter of grave concern, spreading anxiety among students, parents, and society as a whole. Though delayed, the government has now announced a Crime Branch investigation into the incident. The DGP has issued the order for a Crime Branch inquiry following a complaint lodged by the Department of Education. The question paper was first leaked publicly via WhatsApp last Thursday. The initial leak occurred in Kozhikode and subsequently spread across the state. There is a suspicion that the Department of Education may have adopted a lax attitude in the initial days, thinking, 'It's just a class exam question paper; it need not be taken so seriously.' This is evident from the fact that it took nearly four days for a firm decision to be made on the matter.

It has been found in the investigation that an institution in Kozhikode district, which provides online tuition classes and study materials to students, was behind the leak of the question paper. Preliminary police investigations have found that a group, including serving and retired personnel, was involved in this organised crime. The police have yet to question the administrators of the YouTube channel responsible for widely circulating the leaked question paper. This act of sabotaging exams and misleading students is a serious offence. Despite this, failing to grasp the gravity of the situation and promptly take necessary action as soon as the issue came to light is a severe dereliction of duty.

The Director of General Education had lodged a complaint with the police and the cyber cell. However, senior officials of the department convened a meeting to discuss the actions to be taken only yesterday! Regardless of the class, the confidentiality of the question paper must be maintained. This is not a matter to be taken lightly. Every stage, from the preparation of the question paper to its delivery to schools and distribution to students just before the exam, must remain highly confidential. In an era where IT systems have advanced significantly, all this is easily achievable. However, any lapse at the initial stages will lead to leaks, compromising both the confidentiality and integrity of the examinations.

The question papers for school-level exams from classes 8 to 10 are prepared by DIET (District Institute of Education and Training). In systems heavily influenced by political interference, there is a higher likelihood of leaks through those involved in the process. A comprehensive investigation is needed to determine how private YouTube channels accessed the leaked questions. It has been clarified that there are no plans to cancel the completed exams or conduct re-exams. However, along with conducting a detailed investigation, the government should also consider the possibility of re-examinations. Reports had surfaced last year as well about question papers for December exams being leaked. The failure to take action then has led to a repetition of the same mistake. The issue is likely to fade from everyone's memory by the time schools reopen after the Christmas break. Such lapses are normalized, which is why major errors continue to occur.