The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that the Class 12 Mathematics board examination question papers are genuine and the security of the exam process remains intact, following viral claims that a QR code printed on the paper redirected users to the famous “Rickroll” video.
The controversy emerged after students and social media users claimed that scanning the QR code printed on the CBSE Class 12 Maths question paper opened the 1987 hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, a prank widely known online as rickrolling.
The board has now addressed the issue, stating that the authenticity of the question paper was not compromised, even though the QR code behaviour triggered confusion online.
Viral QR Code Incident During CBSE Class 12 Maths Exam
The CBSE Class 12 Mathematics and Applied Mathematics examination was conducted on March 9, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM as part of the ongoing board examinations.
Shortly after the exam ended, images of the question paper started circulating on social media platforms such as Reddit, X, and WhatsApp groups. Many users claimed that scanning the QR code printed at the top-left corner of the question paper redirected them to a YouTube video.
According to reports by NDTV, the QR code allegedly opened the music video of “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley, which has long been used as a classic internet prank known as “rickrolling.”
The meme-style prank typically tricks users into clicking or scanning a link that unexpectedly leads to the iconic 1987 song.
A video circulating online also showed a student demonstrating the process where scanning the QR code appeared to open the viral music video.
CBSE Clarifies: Question Papers Are Genuine
Following the viral claims and confusion among students and parents, CBSE issued an official clarification.
According to the board:
“The question papers are genuine. The security of the question papers remains uncompromised.”
CBSE emphasised that multiple security layers are built into board exam papers, including QR codes that help verify the authenticity of the documents in case of suspected paper leaks.
As reported by India Today Education, the board acknowledged that in a few question paper sets, scanning one of the QR codes appeared to link to external content, but stressed that this did not compromise exam security or authenticity.
Why QR Codes Are Used in CBSE Question Papers
CBSE introduced QR codes in board exam question papers in 2018 as part of a broader strategy to prevent question paper leaks and exam malpractice.
These QR codes typically serve several purposes:
- Verification of authenticity
- Tracking of question paper sets
- Security against paper leaks
- Identification of exam centre distribution
If a paper leak occurs, the QR code helps investigators trace the source of the breach.
However, the unexpected link to a YouTube video raised questions about whether a technical error, misprint, or isolated incident might have occurred in certain paper sets.
Students Report Mixed Experiences
Interestingly, not all students reported the same result when scanning the QR code.
Several students said that the QR code in their exam centre simply opened alphabet markers such as “A” or “Q”, which are often used internally for paper set identification.
Others claimed the code redirected to the music video, which triggered widespread online discussion and memes.
According to reports from The Times of India, the mixed responses created confusion about whether the viral screenshots represented a technical glitch, manipulated images, or a limited case affecting certain paper sets.
Social Media Turns the Incident Into a Meme
The unexpected appearance of the famous Rickroll meme during a high-stakes national board exam quickly caught the internet’s attention.
Students and social media users joked about the incident, posting memes suggesting that even exam papers were now “rickrolling” students.
The original song “Never Gonna Give You Up”, released in 1987, became an internet phenomenon in the mid-2000s when it was widely used in prank links that redirected users to the music video unexpectedly.
Today, the video has over a billion streams on Spotify and billions of views on YouTube, making it one of the most recognizable internet jokes.
CBSE Promises Preventive Measures
While reassuring students that exam integrity was never at risk, CBSE also stated that concerns raised by students and parents have been taken seriously.
The board said it is reviewing the matter and will take necessary preventive steps to ensure such incidents do not recur in future examinations.
CBSE board exams for Class 10 and Class 12 began on February 17, 2026, and are scheduled to conclude on April 10, 2026, with the Legal Studies paper marking the end of the Class 12 examination schedule.
Top comments (2)
Honestly, this is the most unexpected twist in a board exam 😅📚
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