3 min readPuneMar 18, 2026 12:07 AM ISTThe Geography paper was the last scheduled paper in the SSC class 10 board examinations that began last month. MSBSHSE Chairman Trigun Kulkarni said late on Tuesday night that the examination would continue as normal and there was no change in the schedule after the possible leak of the paper.Two bundles of SSC board exam question papers containing 50 papers were stolen from a strong room in Sangola in Solapur District on March 17, one day before the scheduled Geography exam. However, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) said that there was no change in schedule despite this incident and the exam would continue as normal.Additional Superintendent of Police Pritam Yawalkar informed that the Sangola Vidyamandir serves as the strongroom for storage of question papers for the complete Sangola taluka. He said, “Geography papers were stored in this strong room yesterday. These were Marathi, Gujarati, and English papers. Two packets containing 25 papers each were stolen post 2 am on March 17. This was done by cutting the lock of the door. An FIR has been filed in this regard by the Block Education Officer.”The school also serves as an examination centre and has CCTV coverage, however these cameras were turned off when the crime allegedly took place. Yawalkar added, “We were informed by the school that the CCTVs are turned on by the school when the examination is conducted and then the cameras are turned off. “There were a total of 5,950 question papers, out of which two sets were stolen. No suspects have been identified yet and the police investigation in the case is ongoing. Yawalkar said that no reports of the paper being shared on social media had reached him.Audumbar Ukirde, Chairman of the Pune Divisional Educational Board, who was at Sangola to investigate the incident, informed that the centre head of Sangola Vidyamandir and the Block Education Officer who filed the FIR have both been suspended due to negligence of duty. “There are 64 CCTV cameras at the school. If they had ensured that they are kept on, then this would have never happened. Action is also being taken against a police officer who was posted on duty at the school. Instead of fulfilling his duty he went somewhere else and slept. If he would have stayed at the school this incident again would not have happened.”The Geography paper was the last scheduled paper in the SSC class 10 board examinations that began last month. MSBSHSE Chairman Trigun Kulkarni said late on Tuesday night that the examination would continue as normal and there was no change in the schedule after the possible leak of the paper.Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:pune