3 hours agoSocial
40LENS
4 SourcesChandrapur, India
thebalanced.newsStudents Allegedly Allowed to Use Mobile Phones for Cheating in Maharashtra Exam
In Chandrapur, Maharashtra, around 400 B.A. Civil Services students at Sarvodaya College reportedly paid Rs 300 to officials for permission to use mobile phones during exams on April 22. Videos show students openly searching answers online amid overcrowded and inadequate exam conditions. Some students allege extortion by the college administration, while authorities have yet to respond officially. The incident has sparked public concern over exam integrity and ethical standards in civil services education.
Political Bias
42%53%5%
Sentiment
25%
AI Analysis
Political bias across 4 sources
● Left 42%● Center 53%● Right 5%
The articles primarily present factual reports of the cheating incident without explicit political framing. Coverage focuses on institutional accountability and exam integrity, reflecting concerns from students, social media users, and media outlets. There is no evident partisan bias; instead, the narrative centers on educational malpractice and administrative responsibility.
Sentiment — Negative (25/100)
The overall tone across the articles is critical and concerned, highlighting the seriousness of cheating and poor exam conditions. While the sentiment is largely negative due to the nature of the allegations, it remains factual and restrained, emphasizing the need for accountability rather than sensationalizing the event.
How 4 sources covered this story
Each source's own headline, political lean, and sentiment — so you can see framing differences at a glance.
| Source | Their headline | Bias | Sentiment |
|---|---|---|---|
| timesnow | Exam Hall for Sale? Civil Services Aspirants Allowed to Cheat for Rs 300 in Maharashtra | Center | Negative |
| freepressjournal | Maharashtra BA Civil Services Exam: Students Pay 300 To Access Phones During Exams Video Goes Viral | Center | Negative |
| news18 | Pay Rs 300 And Use Mobile During Exam: Viral Video Shows Mass Cheating At Maharashtra College | Left | Negative |
| ndtv | Students Pay Rs 300 To Use Mobile Phones For Cheating During Exam In Maharashtra | Left | Negative |
Coverage timeline
ndtv broke this story on 23 Apr, 03:48 pm. Other outlets followed.
- 1ndtv23 Apr, 03:48 pmStudents Pay Rs 300 To Use Mobile Phones For Cheating During Exam In Maharashtra
- 2news1823 Apr, 05:45 pmPay Rs 300 And Use Mobile During Exam: Viral Video Shows Mass Cheating At Maharashtra College
- 3freepressjournal24 Apr, 06:24 amMaharashtra BA Civil Services Exam: Students Pay 300 To Access Phones During Exams Video Goes Viral
- 4timesnow24 Apr, 06:47 amExam Hall for Sale? Civil Services Aspirants Allowed to Cheat for Rs 300 in Maharashtra
Lens Score breakdown
40/100
Public interest16/100
Coverage gap100%
Story is receiving appropriate media attention relative to public interest.
Accountability flags
TBN's analysis identified the following accountability dimensions in this story.
- financial irregularity
This story involves alleged financial misconduct — unexplained transactions, procurement irregularities, or misuse of public/shareholder funds.
- abuse of power
This story involves alleged misuse of official authority or institutional position to achieve personal or political ends.
- systemic failure
This story points to a failure in institutional processes — regulation, safety, oversight, or service delivery breaking down at scale.
Who's involved
Institutions and figures named across source coverage.
Government
Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University
Enforcement
Police
Story context
- Category
- Social
- Location
- Chandrapur, India
- Sources analysed
- 4
- Last analysed
- 24 Apr 2026
- Key entities
- CheatingMobile phoneIndian rupeeMaharashtraBachelor of ArtsChandrapurKavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit UniversityViral videoSocial mediaGoogleExtortionChandrapur district
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