In a significant operation against examination malpractice, the Halasuru police in Bengaluru have detained 18 candidates for allegedly employing electronic devices to cheat during an Army Group ‘C’ recruitment examination. The incident occurred on Sunday at the 515 Army Base Workshop, where candidates were participating in a written examination for the Group ‘C’ posts of Lower Division Clerk (LDC) under the Civil Defence Employment Recruitment for the year 2025–26.
The examination was conducted on February 8, from 10 am to 12 noon, and the police were alerted following a formal complaint by Colonel SS Jyotirlingam, the Security Officer to the Commandant and Managing Director of the 515 Army Base Workshop. During the examination process, invigilators observed unusual behavior which included candidates whispering to each other, prompting them to investigate further.
Upon deeper scrutiny, it was discovered that the candidates had photographed the question paper immediately after receiving it. They allegedly shared these images with accomplices outside the examination venue using WhatsApp. Answers were then communicated back to the candidates through Bluetooth devices that were discreetly hidden on their persons while taking the test.
A subsequent search by the Halasuru police resulted in the recovery of several electronic gadgets. This included three mobile phones, 12 Bluetooth devices, and various other accessories. Some of these devices were located in bags outside the examination hall, specifically those belonging to two of the arrested individuals.
The candidates arrested in this operation are Surender, Sandeep, Monty, Anuj, Ajay Kumar, Sumit, Rahul, Aman, Ankit, Vikas, Yogesh, Aman Redu, Rajat, Vinay, Aman Kumar, Manish, and Prashant, all of whom hail from Haryana. Following their arrests, all 18 candidates have been remanded to judicial custody as investigations continue.
Authorities are actively seeking to identify additional individuals involved in facilitating this cheating scheme, especially those who provided solutions from outside the examination center. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges of maintaining the integrity of recruitment examinations and the measures necessary to combat such fraudulent activities.
