Haridwar Class 10 Exam Scandal: Police Book Eight Dummy Candidates
In a shocking incident in Haridwar, a case was officially registered on Wednesday against eight dummy candidates who are alleged to have fraudulently appeared in the Class 10 Hindi board examination. The examination took place at Govt Inter College, Salempur, located in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand.
Legal Charges and Police Action
The accused individuals have been charged under multiple sections of the law, including sections 318(2) for cheating, 319(2) for cheating by personation, and 61(2) for criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Additionally, they face charges under section 3/9 of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Act, which specifically addresses malpractices in public exams.
Police authorities reported that seven students, comprising four girls and three boys, were taken into custody following the discovery of the scam. These students were later released after being served formal notices as per court guidelines. However, the eighth accused remains absconding, and police efforts are actively underway to trace and apprehend him.
Background and Enrollment Details
Officials revealed that the students were enrolled as private candidates through Savitri Shiksha Sadan, a private school located in the SIDCUL area of Haridwar. It was confirmed that these individuals were not regular students of the institution, raising questions about the enrollment and verification processes.
SP City Abhay Singh provided insights to the media, stating, "We have requested detailed information from the education department and the private school to initiate a thorough investigation. Initially, seven fake students were detained and subsequently released after receiving notices in compliance with court directives. During interrogation, they disclosed the names of those who hired them to clear the examination on their behalf. Verification of these details is currently in progress, and further arrests will be made based on the findings."
School's Response and Education Department Notice
Meanwhile, Savitri Shiksha Sadan principal Kamal Kumar admitted to lapses in the verification process. He acknowledged that around 50 students were enrolled as private candidates in the school and confirmed that the admit cards of the dummy candidates had not been properly verified. In response to the irregularities, the education department has issued a formal notice to the school management, demanding an explanation for the oversight.
Discovery of the Scam
The fraudulent activities came to light during the copy verification process at the exam centre. Invigilators detected discrepancies in the admit cards, noting that photographs had been manually affixed, which raised immediate suspicions. The school management confirmed these irregularities during a verification conducted on Tuesday, leading to the police case and subsequent actions.
This incident underscores significant concerns regarding exam integrity and the need for stricter verification protocols in educational assessments. Authorities are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of the scam and ensure accountability.
