A female student, Himanshi Tiwari, was remanded to judicial custody on Monday, 23 June after being caught allegedly using a concealed mobile phone to cheat during the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) re-examination at a centre in Bindayaka, Jaipur. The court, where police did not seek custodial remand, sent her to jail following the hearing.

How She Was Caught

During the re-examination on Sunday, a teacher in the examination hall grew suspicious of Tiwari's behaviour and intervened. A mobile phone was recovered from her possession — reportedly concealed beneath the buttons of her shirt and inside her undergarments.

Notably, the metal detector at the examination centre entrance had sounded twice as she entered. According to officials, she allegedly told security staff that the alerts were triggered by metal hooks on her undergarments, and was allowed to proceed.

What Investigators Found

During police questioning, Tiwari reportedly admitted to smuggling the phone into the hall with the intention of using AI tools to search for answers. Investigators found photographs of the NEET question paper on the device, reportedly taken approximately 15 minutes before the examination ended.

However, active signal jammers installed around the examination centre allegedly prevented her from transmitting the images or any other information to anyone outside the venue. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Prashant Kiran confirmed that screenshots of several questions were found on the phone, but investigators found no evidence that the question paper had been leaked externally.

Forensic Examination Underway

Police have initiated the process of sending the mobile phone for forensic analysis. The forensic report is expected to determine whether the device was used solely to search for answers or whether there was also an attempt to transmit question-paper content to individuals outside the examination centre.

A report on the incident has been submitted to the National Testing Agency (NTA), according to officials. Police also questioned the centre superintendent and examination staff late into the night, given the seriousness of the security lapse.

Legal Consequences

If the investigation confirms the use of unfair means, legal action may be initiated under the law governing public examinations. A conviction under the applicable statute could result in imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.

The incident raises fresh questions about the adequacy of physical security protocols at NEET examination centres, particularly in the context of ongoing scrutiny of the exam's integrity. Investigators are continuing to examine how the device bypassed security checks to reach the examination hall.