The Bihar School Examination Board has rejected a viral image circulating on social media that purportedly showed the Class 9 Social Science half yearly examination question paper for 2026. The board said the image was fake, misleading and incorrect and clarified that it did not represent the actual question paper used in the examination.
The Class 9 Social Science half yearly examination was conducted on September 22, 2026, as part of the Bihar Board half yearly examinations for Classes 9 and 10. According to the published examination schedule, the Social Science paper was conducted during the second shift on September 22.
The controversy began after an image of an alleged question paper started circulating on social media. The image attracted attention because some of the questions appeared unusual and led users to question the standard and quality of the examination. The circulation of the image subsequently prompted the Bihar School Examination Board to issue a clarification.
BSEB said the viral material was not an authentic copy of the question paper. According to the board, the image had been altered and contained an AI generated question that was not part of the examination conducted on September 22.
The main point of the controversy involved Question 37. The question shown in the viral image was an unusual question involving a lehenga, with options that included references to a phone, remote and JCB. The unusual wording contributed to the image becoming widely discussed online.
BSEB, however, said that this question was not part of the original examination paper. The board stated that the version circulating online had been generated using artificial intelligence and was intended to create confusion regarding the examination and affect the reputation of the examination committee.
According to the original question paper details reported by Careers360, Question 37 actually asked students about the number of main factors of production. The options given were two, three, four and five. This was different from the question shown in the viral image.
The clarification is important for students who may have seen the viral image and assumed that it was the actual examination paper. BSEB has made it clear that the image should not be treated as an official representation of the Class 9 Social Science examination.
The board has also urged students, parents and members of the public to avoid forwarding or sharing the disputed image. Examination related information can spread quickly through social media, particularly when an image appears to resemble an official question paper. However, the BSEB clarification indicates that the viral image in this case was not genuine.
The incident also highlights the growing challenge faced by educational institutions because of digitally manipulated and AI generated content. Artificial intelligence tools can be used to create realistic looking documents and images, making it increasingly important for students and parents to verify examination information before sharing it.
For students, an important lesson from the incident is to distinguish between official examination documents and material circulating on social media. A screenshot or photograph shared on a social media platform does not by itself establish that the document is genuine. Official information from the examination board and schools remains the appropriate source for examination schedules, question papers, results and other academic updates.
The Class 9 and Class 10 half yearly examinations were scheduled from September 21 to September 23, 2026. The September 22 schedule included Science and Music in the morning session and Social Science in the afternoon session. The examinations were conducted in two shifts.
The examination schedule also shows that Mathematics and Home Science were scheduled for September 23 in the morning session, followed by English in the afternoon session. The board had instructed students to reach their examination centres at least 30 minutes before the examination and to follow the instructions issued by the authorities.
The viral question paper issue is separate from the actual conduct of the examination. BSEB's clarification specifically concerns the authenticity of the image circulating online. Therefore, students should not use the viral image to judge the difficulty level or academic standard of the actual Social Science examination.
The board has also indicated that action is being initiated against the person allegedly responsible for generating the fake material. According to the reported BSEB clarification, the board said that the individual who allegedly created the AI generated material had been identified and that the Cyber Crime Police and District Police had been informed. The board has sought strict legal action in the matter.
The development comes at a time when AI generated content is increasingly being used to create or alter text, photographs and documents. In the education sector, fabricated examination notices, question papers and result related information can cause confusion among students and parents. Such content can also affect public understanding of an examination if it is widely circulated before verification.
For Bihar Board students, the immediate clarification from BSEB means that the viral Class 9 Social Science question paper should not be considered genuine. The disputed Question 37 shown in the circulated image was not the question used in the actual examination, according to the board.
Students awaiting further examination related information should rely on official BSEB announcements and their respective schools rather than social media posts. The board's official communications should be treated as the primary reference for examination schedules, results and other academic matters.
The incident also demonstrates why verification is important before forwarding examination related content. A fabricated image can quickly gain attention when it contains unusual questions or claims about an examination. In this case, BSEB has specifically denied the authenticity of the viral paper and identified the disputed question as AI generated.
Overall, the Bihar School Examination Board has clarified that the viral Class 9 Social Science half yearly examination question paper is fake and does not represent the paper used on September 22, 2026. The board has asked students and the public not to circulate the material and has reported the matter to the relevant police authorities. Students should therefore rely on verified BSEB information for all future examination updates.
