DHANBAD, INDIA (REUTERS) - Students in the eastern Indian state of Jharkand appeared to be cheating during an exam, but their teacher did not believe that was the case.

Some students who were taking the exams on July 9, were seen with their notes and books open, while others looked as if they are copying answers from each other during their exam.

Yet their teacher, professor Manorajan Gupta, felt otherwise.

"I cannot see students cheating," he said, while being prompted by a reporter. "I can see students taking the examination fairly."

Neighbouring Bihar state has come under fire for multiple reports of cheating during exams, including one case where a girl who topped the humanities cohort could not spell "political science" properly and thought it involved cooking.