gave Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued a detailed advisory rejecting viral claims linking the QR codes on the Class 12 board examination question papers to Internet personality Ori and singer Rick Astley, terming such interpretations as “misleading” and factually incorrect.The clarification comes after the QR codes printed on the recent CBSE question papers, particularly the Class 12 History exam held on March 30, sparked a massive uproar online, with students claiming that scanning them yielded search results related to the impressive Ori.Earlier, a similar controversy erupted during a maths exam on March 9, where students reported being redirected to a Rick Astley song. will never leave youa well-known internet joke or “rockroll”.
CBSE: QR codes are for security, not web access.
In its advisory, the CBSE clarified that the QR codes printed on the question papers are not intended to serve as web links. Instead, they are part of internal systems used to verify, track, and ensure exam integrity.The board explained that scanning these QR codes may reveal encoded text, but they do not directly open external websites or multimedia content.
How Orry, the ‘rickroll’ confusion arose.
CBSE attributed the confusion to how users interact with QR-generated text. According to the board, when students copy or search for decoded text on search engines, algorithm-driven results may show irrelevant content, including references to public figures.These unintended results — like Orry appearing in search results — sparked a social media frenzy, with videos and screenshots widely shared online. The influencer himself reacted to the viral moment, expressing surprise at appearing in the context of a board exam.
‘False propaganda’, the board says.
Taking a stern stand, CBSE said that certain elements are deliberately misrepresenting these irrelevant search results to create confusion and damage the reputation of the institution.“Associating QR codes with unrelated persons or content is factually incorrect and misleading,” the board said in its advisory.
Advice for students, parents, media
CBSE has urged stakeholders to avoid sharing unverified claims and rely only on official communication channels. He also cautioned media platforms against promoting speculative interpretations that could distort the facts.
Exams unaffected, security intact
Reiterating its stand, the CBSE maintained that the integrity of the examination process was upheld and that the QR codes were technical safeguards meant only to verify the authenticity of the question paper.The board’s clarification comes amid intense social media scrutiny during the ongoing board exam season, where even minor irregularities have quickly turned into viral narratives.
