An offence has been lodged against nine teachers for their alleged role in an incident of mass copying by students at a school in Pune district during the ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations, officials said on Tuesday.

These teachers are suspected of have aided and abetted students in using unfair means writing their Class XII state board physics paper, they said.

A flying squad of the education board detected the case of mass cheating at Jawaharlal Secondary and Higher Secondary School at Kedgaon in Daund taluka of the district in western Maharashtra on Monday, said the officials.

An FIR (first information report) was registered at the Yawat Police Station against the nine teachers who were on an invigilation duty at the school, under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, they said.

The names of students who participated in mass cheating at the school were submitted to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education, said the officials.

The state government has launched a “copy free exam campaign" to curb malpractices by students while writing their test papers.

Pune Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ayush Prasad said, "The ZP has coordinated with the police department and municipal corporations to strictly enforce the “copy mukt abhiyan” of the state government." The Zilla Parishad has provided study notes, exam paper analysis and test materials to schools to help students prepare better for exams, he said.

"We have held several round of meetings with schools to help improve academic performance of students," said Prasad.

The Class 12 exams (HSC) of the Maharashtra state board started on February 21 and will go on till March 20.

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