Defence ministry’s reply sought on ‘exam in underwear’

Education authorities in eastern India say 600 high school students have been expelled after they were found to have cheated on pressure-packed 10th grade examinations. Yes, the candidates appearing for an army exam in Muzaffarpur district in Bihar were forced to strip down to their underwear for the duration of the exam as the examiners did not want any of them to cheat.

This prompted the Union Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, to seek an explanation from the army chief General Dalbir Suhag. They were asked to get rid of “the vest too” by the examiners, said the reports.

A candidate on the condition of anonymity told The Indian Express, “As we entered Chakkar Maidan, the venue, we were asked to remove all clothes except underwear”. We had no option but to comply with the instructions even though it felt odd.

The army said it was done to “save time on checking so many students”.

Colonel VS Godhara of the Army Regional Office said: “I am entitled to take all precautions necessary”.

The candidates finally sat cross-legged on the ground in their briefs and used their thighs as tables for the one-hour test. Some complained they were cold, but they had no choice.

Previous year a scandal in the state that saw relatives scale the walls of a school exam centre to pass notes to candidates went viral and made national headlines. The state has also ordered CCTV cameras in classrooms, and a live stream of some exam centres.