UP STF roped in to check mass copying in UP Board exams

ALLAHABAD: To put a check on cheating mafia, the state government, this year, has roped in UP Special Task Force (STF) to bust at least eight rackets involved in mass copying across the state.
As many as five special teams of STF have been roped in to tighten the noose around cheating mafia in Allahabad region.
The UP Board examination for high school and intermediate is scheduled to start from February 18. The exams will continue till March 6. As many as 7, 786 examination centres have been set up and all are under strict police lens.
The STF has also prepared a list of 70 key operatives (nakal mafias) whose names were surfaced for mass copying in past three years in 75 districts of the state.
Special teams have been assigned the task to crack the networking of nakal mafias, particularly active on border areas.
In 2019, the STF claimed to have unearthed five rackets involved in mass copying and arrested 40 persons.
After compiling intelligence inputs that these rackets have spread their tentacles in UP districts after being imparted training by racketeers from Bihar, teams of STF have been roped in to maintain close watch on identified hyper-sensitive centres.
Additional SP (STF) Neeraj Kumar Pandey told TOI: “With high school and intermediate examinations beginning from February 18 in the state, STF have deployed five special teams to tighten the noose around nakal mafias involved in mass copying in Allahabad range."
He further added: “All district units of STF are running from pillar to post to compile data on nakal mafias and take action accordingly.”
Pandey further added, “STF has oiled up its intelligence network and teams are maintaining a strict watch on suspicious centres and pockets which have already gained the dubious distinction of being a safe hub of mass copying."
Interestingly, the police have also started the physical verification of a total of 7,786 examination centres in view of security arrangements and also decided to deploy adequate police force at the centres after ascertaining the strength of students appearing in examinations.
This time, the selection of examination centres was being made online and each centre having the facility of voice recording CCTV sets. Besides, the police and district authorities in every district have prepared the list of examination centres under three categories including most vulnerable, vulnerable and normal. At least 10-12 examination centres are being placed in one sector and a sector magistrate is being appointed to conduct peaceful and copyless examination.