A major cheating racket uncovered during the Punjab Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination has intensified the national conversation on the integrity of competitive examinations, with the issue quickly acquiring political overtones.
The development comes at a time when examination-related controversies remain at the centre of national politics. Days after sustained protests over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations culminated in the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the latest incident in Punjab has prompted opposition to seek similar accountability from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government.
The party has demanded the resignation of Punjab Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, arguing that governments must be held equally accountable when irregularities emerge in examinations conducted under their supervision.
The case, however, differs from allegations involving pre-examination question paper leaks. According to Punjab Police and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), investigators have found no evidence that the Pharmacy Officer question paper was leaked before the examination began. Instead, the alleged cheating network operated in real time by photographing the question paper after the examination commenced and transmitting answers to candidates through concealed electronic devices.
Recruitment examination for 454 posts
The Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination was conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, on July 19 for recruitment to 454 Pharmacy Officer posts under the Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department.
Nearly 7,000 candidates appeared for the examination, which was conducted across 18 examination centres in Punjab. To maintain transparency, BFUHS deployed flying squads to monitor examination centres and detect unfair practices.
Those preventive measures ultimately led to the exposure of what police describe as a well-organised interstate cheating syndicate.
Flying squads detect suspicious activity
According to university officials, members of the flying squads observed suspicious behaviour by certain candidates during the examination.
One candidate was allegedly found using a concealed Bluetooth communication device to receive assistance while writing the examination. Further inspection at multiple centres revealed similar instances, prompting immediate police intervention.
Candidates found using illegal communication devices were detained and handed over to the police. A case was subsequently registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
As investigators expanded the probe, they uncovered a wider network allegedly involving candidates, organisers and technical operators spread across Punjab and neighbouring Haryana.
Thirty-five people detained
Punjab Police have so far detained 35 persons in connection with the case.
According to investigators, those detained include:
1. Seven alleged conspirators believed to have organised the operation.
2. Twenty-eight candidates who allegedly used electronic devices during the examination.
3. Police officials said investigations are continuing and further arrests may follow as the financial transactions and communication network of the accused are examined.
No evidence of pre-examination paper leak
Investigators have repeatedly clarified that the incident does not involve evidence of a pre-examination paper leak.
According to police, the alleged operation began only after candidates entered examination halls.
One candidate, identified as Ayush, who appeared at an examination centre in Ferozepur, allegedly used a specially designed hidden pen camera to photograph the question paper.
Investigators said the images were sent through WhatsApp to an associate named Sajan in Bhiwani, Haryana.
Sajan allegedly forwarded the photographs to Deepak, who had established a temporary control room inside a house in Society Nagar, Faridkot.
Deepak, along with another accused identified as Manjit Singh, allegedly prepared answers and transmitted them back to candidates through concealed wireless communication devices while the examination was still in progress.
Police said the entire operation was conducted in real time.
BFUHS confirms cheating was detected during examination
BFUHS Registrar Arvind Kumar said the university’s flying squad was the first to detect malpractice.
He confirmed that the candidate initially caught was using a Bluetooth device and reiterated that there was no indication that the question paper had been leaked before the examination commenced.
According to the Registrar, the university had received intelligence inputs suggesting that some candidates might attempt to use sophisticated electronic devices during the examination. Acting on these inputs, flying squads remained on heightened alert, enabling officials to detect the alleged malpractice before it became more widespread.
Punjab Police have identified Gurmeet Singh, an employee of Sant Kabir Polytechnic College in Fazilka, as the alleged mastermind behind the operation.
According to investigators, Gurmeet Singh coordinated the cheating network and supervised the distribution of communication devices to candidates.
Police stated that the breach occurred entirely after the examination began and involved multiple individuals working simultaneously from different locations.
The wider role of the accused and any possible links to previous recruitment examinations are also being investigated.
Candidates allegedly paid lakhs
Investigators said candidates were allegedly charged between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 13 lakh in exchange for assistance during the examination.
Some candidates reportedly provided post-dated cheques as security until completion of the recruitment process.
Police are examining financial records, digital transactions and bank details to establish the money trail behind the alleged operation.
Sophisticated devices seized
The investigation has led to the recovery of several electronic devices allegedly used in the cheating operation.
These include:
27 battery-operated wireless communication devices
Hidden pen cameras
Bluetooth earpieces
Wireless communication accessories used for real-time dictation
Officials said these miniature devices enabled candidates to receive answers discreetly inside examination halls.
The recovered equipment has been sent for forensic examination.
How the operation was allegedly planned
According to investigators, members of the cheating syndicate met candidates at a hotel on the Faridkot-Kotkapura Road on the morning of the examination.
Candidates were allegedly briefed on how to conceal the communication equipment and use it during the test.
Police believe the operation was carefully coordinated, with different members handling question transmission, answer preparation and communication with candidates simultaneously.
Following the incident, the Punjab Health and Family Welfare Department sought a comprehensive report from BFUHS.
Medical Superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, Dr. Neetu Kakkar, confirmed that the department had taken serious note of the incident.
She reiterated that the available findings indicated candidates had allegedly cheated using electronic devices during the examination and that authorities had not found evidence suggesting the question paper had been leaked beforehand.
The department has directed BFUHS to submit a detailed report before a final decision is taken regarding the recruitment process.
Political reactions
The incident has inevitably entered the political arena against the backdrop of the nationwide debate on examination integrity.
Coming shortly after the controversy surrounding competitive examinations at the national level and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, opposition leaders have argued that accountability must be applied uniformly irrespective of which party governs a state or the Centre.
The Congress has demanded the resignation of Punjab Health and Medical Education Minister Dr. Balbir Singh, contending that the state government must also accept responsibility for irregularities in examinations conducted under its administrative framework.
The AAP government has maintained that the alleged malpractice was detected because of the vigilance mechanisms put in place by BFUHS and that prompt police action prevented the operation from succeeding on a larger scale. Authorities have also pointed out that the investigation has so far found no evidence of a pre-examination question paper leak.
Investigation continues
Punjab Police continue to investigate the wider network behind the alleged cheating syndicate.
Investigators are analysing seized electronic devices, mobile phones, WhatsApp conversations, call records and financial transactions to identify additional accused and determine whether similar methods had been employed in previous recruitment examinations.
The case has once again highlighted the growing challenge posed by technology-enabled examination fraud. As authorities tighten surveillance over competitive examinations, investigators believe dismantling organised cheating networks will require closer coordination between examination bodies, law enforcement agencies and digital forensic experts to safeguard the credibility of public recruitment processes.
