A significant development has emerged in the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) exam paper leak case, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has uncovered the use of electronic devices, including ChatGPT, in aiding cheating during at least two government recruitment exams.
The investigation conducted by the SIT has implicated Poola Ramesh, a Divisional Engineer at the Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSNPDCL). Ramesh is alleged to have not only sold question papers related to the Assistant Engineer (Civil) exam but also utilized advanced AI technology and electronic devices to assist candidates appearing for the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) and Divisional Accounts Officer (DAO) exams.
Sources familiar with the investigation revealed that Ramesh shared the answers with a group of seven candidates within the exam hall through electronic devices. This marks the first instance where the involvement of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer) and electronic devices has come to light in this high-profile case.
On Monday, the SIT arrested Prashanth, Naresh, Mahesh, and Srinivas, who were allegedly caught using electronic devices during the exams.
The investigators are currently focusing on determining how the candidates managed to enter the exam hall undetected with electronic devices, such as Bluetooth micro earpieces. They suspect the involvement of an examiner who facilitated their entry into the exam hall and might have even taken photos of the question papers to share with Ramesh via WhatsApp just ten minutes after the exams commenced.
The recent arrests have brought the total number of individuals apprehended in connection with the case to 49.
Ramesh received the leaked question paper for the Assistant Engineer (Civil) exam from another accused, Poola Ravi Kishore, a junior assistant in the electricity department. Ramesh proceeded to sell the question paper to approximately 25 candidates, charging each of them between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh. The exam took place on March 5.
During the AEE and DAO exams held on January 22 and February 26, respectively, Ramesh utilized cutting-edge AI technology and microelectronic devices to aid the aspirants.
After receiving the question paper on his mobile device from the exam center through an examiner, Ramesh and four others utilized ChatGPT to obtain correct answers, which they then transmitted to candidates present in the exam hall using Bluetooth earbuds.
Ramesh allegedly entered into agreements with each candidate, charging them between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 30 lakh for his services.
The TSPSC exam paper leak case has revealed a more intricate web of corruption than initially anticipated, with the SIT continuously unearthing new findings.
The scandal came to light on March 13, following a complaint by a concerned individual. Initially, the police arrested nine individuals, including Praveen Kumar, an assistant section officer at TSPSC, and Rajashekar Reddy, a network administrator at TSPSC. They were alleged to have stolen question papers from a computer in the Commission’s confidential section and sold them to other individuals.
Subsequently, the SIT arrested 15 additional individuals from Mahabubnagar district alone. Further investigations revealed links to Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Nagarkurnool, Khammam, and Nalgonda districts.
The TSPSC exam paper leak case has caused a sensation in Telangana, with opposition parties Congress and BJP placing blame on the BRS government for the leak, which has adversely affected countless unemployed individuals in the state. The opposition is demanding a thorough investigation either by a sitting judge of the High Court or by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In addition to the SIT’s ongoing investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is examining potential money laundering aspects of the case and has recorded statements from top TSPSC officials. (Edited)