Patna: The biology question paper went viral on WhatsApp soon after the Intermediate exam kicked off on Tuesday, despite the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB)'s tall claims of being well prepared.

The question paper was circulated from an examination centre in Nawada district.

The board accepted the question paper circulated on WhatsApp was original, but denied that the paper had leaked.

The Intermediate exam kicked off on Tuesday with the first paper beginning at 9.45am. Ninety minutes into the exam, the paper was found going viral on WhatsApp.

As news of the paper going viral on WhatsApp spread, the Nawada district administration and BSEB sprung into action. The viral question paper was matched with the original and found to be the same.

BSEB chairman Anand Kishor accepted the question paper had gone viral, but denied it had leaked.

"Had the paper gone viral before commencement of exam, it could have been called a leak," Kishor said. "But, the paper went viral nearly two hours after commencement of the exam."

He said it seemed to be the handiwork of some mischievous elements.

According to him, every examination centre gets 5-10 extra question papers. "It is possible some mischievous element clicked photographs of the spare paper and made it viral."

"The Nawada district administration came to know about the incident around 12.15pm," Nawada district magistrate Kaushal Kumar said. "No FIR has been lodged."

Though the school examination board and Nawada district administration are claiming the question paper was not leaked, sources said it highlights the deteriorating standards of education in the state. BSEB had already issued instructions banning the use of cellphones inside exam centres. Only centre superintendents and static magistrate going for evaluation duty can carry cellphones inside the exam centres. "The district administration will probe how the paper went viral," Kaushal said.

The incident gave the Opposition a tool to slam the government with. "Breaking: Bihar Board's Inter Biology Exam paper leaked, went viral among students. Nitish Kumar's administration was totally aware of it but still decided to go ahead with exam rather than cancelling it. Nitish Ji, Stop playing with future of Bihari students,it's not ur politics," Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav tweeted.

Exactly a year ago, the physics paper had gone viral on WhatsApp an hour after Intermediate exams started.