The Maharashtra government is examining the possibility of invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against the accused in Teachers Eligibility Test paper leak case, state School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse informed the state legislative Assembly on Monday. He also announced that the government will set up a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to work out modalities of conducting TET and other examinations in a transparent manner through an online system.
After an uproar in the House over the TET exam paper leak, minister Bhuse said, “Regarding the paper leak of TET scheduled to be held on June 28, 2026… an assessment will be made to introduce necessary amendments to the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) to register cases against anyone found guilty.”
Bhuse said that on June 27, police received information that certain individuals were planning to sell the question paper for the Teacher Eligibility Test scheduled to be held the next day.
“Police set a trap and apprehended three individuals… The items found in their possession included the question papers for the TET exam,” he said. Senior officials from the education department confirmed that the recovered papers were in fact the question papers for the exam scheduled for June 28 and a case was registered at Kongaon police station in Bhiwandi.
The charges against the three arrested include sections 318(4), 316(5), and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with sections 11(1), (2), (3) and 12(1), (2) of the Maharashtra Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and sections 6 and 8 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices at University, Board and Other Specified Examinations Act, 1982, the minister said. The charges stem from the unauthorised acquisition and possession of the government-conducted TET question papers with the intent to distribute them to examinees in exchange for large sums of money.
The minister said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the joint commissioner of police (crime), Thane city, has been constituted as per the order issued on June 27 by the Director General of Police, Maharashtra. “The investigation is currently underway by the SIT. To further the investigation, two teams have been dispatched to Bihar, one to Haryana, and one to Delhi. The three arrested accused are in police custody,” the minister said.
The minister said that the re-examination will be conducted in a transparent and disciplined manner and no examination fees will be charged from candidates.
Story continues below this ad
Earlier in the day, Opposition MLAs staged a walkout in the Assembly stating that the government failed to provide a concrete response on the alleged leak of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) question paper, while the legislative Council was adjourned for nearly half an hour due to an uproar from the Opposition over the leak.
In both the Houses, the Opposition demanded discussion on this issue, keeping the scheduled business aside.
In assembly, prior to Question Hour, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav moved an adjournment motion and said, “From NEET to TET, the state is becoming the centre of paper leaks. It is important that the issue is discussed in the Assembly by setting aside other business.”
Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the recurring question paper leaks in major examinations were bringing disrepute to Maharashtra and creating insecurity among lakhs of students and teachers. He demanded the government explain why it had “repeatedly failed” to conduct examinations transparently.
Story continues below this ad
Referring to Abhishek Sawarikar, an accused in the 2018 TET scam, Wadettiwar questioned how the BJP later inducted people accused in such scams. The Congress leader also hinted at Sawarikar’s association with a BJP legislator and raised concerns about the government’s “role” in such scams.
In the Upper House, Ambadas Danve of Shiv Sena (UBT) questioned the government’s failure to prevent another examination paper leak despite the recent controversy surrounding the NEET-UG examination controversy.
Demanding a discussion under Rule 289, Danve said, “There are irregularities worth crores of rupees and paper leaks are happening repeatedly. If the government cannot conduct examinations properly, then the education minister should resign.”
Congress MLC Satej Patil said conducting examinations without irregularities was the government’s responsibility, while Congress leader Jayant Asgaonkar demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Story continues below this ad
Congress MLA Dhiraj Lingade said the incident reflected the collapse of the country’s education system, while Arun Lad of NCP (SP) argued that repeated paper leaks had become common due to the absence of strict legal safeguards.
