'Rickrolling' in board exam? Class 12 maths paper QR code 'leads' to Rick Astley song, sparks viral buzz; CBSE responds

NEW DELHI: A QR code reportedly printed on the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) Class 12 mathematics question paper has triggered a wave of online speculation after students claimed that scanning it led to the music video of “Never Gonna Give You Up” by British singer Rick Astley, a classic internet prank known as “rickrolling”. The mathematics board examination was held on March 9 from 10.30am to 1.30pm. Soon after the test, images of the question paper began circulating on social media, with several students alleging that the QR code printed on it redirected them to the 1987 hit song’s video on YouTube. QR codes are typically included on board exam papers for authentication and security verification. However, according to claims shared by students online, scanning the code instead opened the music video associated with the long-running internet joke in which unsuspecting users are tricked into clicking a link that leads to the song.Videos and screenshots posted 'X' quickly went viral. In one widely shared clip, a student scans the QR code from the paper and shows that it leads to the music video. As the posts spread, social media users responded with a mix of amusement and disbelief. One user joked, “When the paper setter is a part-time admin of a meme page.” Another wrote, “I don’t see a problem with it, kinda funny ngl.” Others questioned whether the claim pointed to a larger issue. Some users pointed out that QR codes on official examination documents are meant to be secure verification tools and wondered how a link to unrelated online content could appear on them.Responding to the controversy, CBSE issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying that the question papers were genuine and that their security had not been compromised. The board said QR codes are included on question papers as a security feature to verify authenticity in case of suspected breaches. CBSE acknowledged that in a few question paper sets, scanning one of the QR codes appeared to link to a YouTube video, which raised concerns among students and parents. However, it emphasised that the authenticity of the question papers remained intact and that the matter was being taken seriously. “The question papers are genuine. The security of the question papers remains uncompromised,” the board said, adding that necessary steps are being taken to ensure such issues do not recur.