CBSE History Paper QR Code Redirects to Meme Page, Leaving Examinees 'Extremely Shocked

CBSE Exams Spark New Wave of Discussion Over QR Code Controversy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams have drawn attention for more than just scores this year, following a controversy surrounding a QR code that appeared on the Class 12 History paper. The QR code, which was printed on the paper, reportedly redirected users to content linked to Orry.

During the Class 12 History exam held on March 30, 2026, students noticed that scanning the QR code printed on the paper appeared to lead to content associated with Orry. A video circulating on X shows a student scanning the code and landing on search results associated with Orry, prompting a quick response from users who shared their own experiences.

As the videos spread, Orry responded, sharing a clip on his Instagram handle where he scanned the History question paper himself and reacted with excitement. In the caption of his video, Orry joked about the incident, saying "CBSE paper is the new phuljadi packet."

Read also: Kumar Mangalam Birla to Address Concluding Function of RSS Training Camp

In an interview with The Times of India, Orry described how he first learned about the incident. He was shocked when people started tagging him and sharing the incident on their stories, and initially thought it was a prank. It wasn't until he checked the QR code himself that he understood what had happened.

"I genuinely thought it was some prank," Orry said. "I even asked my assistant, 'Did we pay for this?' I had no clue what was going on." However, when he scanned the QR code himself and saw that it led to his content, he realized the incident was real.

This is not the first time QR codes on CBSE papers have caught attention. Earlier in March, during the Class 12 Mathematics exam, students reported being redirected to the music video of "Never Gonna Give You Up", a well-known internet prank often referred to as a "rickroll". The video circulated widely, adding an unexpected moment during the exam season.

Read also: The Cost of Healthcare: Why Predictability in Medical Inflation is Crucial for Health Insurance

At the time, CBSE clarified that the Maths paper was authentic and that QR codes are included only as a security feature to verify question papers, not to direct users to external content. Despite that clarification, the latest History paper incident has again raised questions about how these codes are functioning.