Arrested Bihar arts topper wrote Class 10 exam with different name: Sources

BSEB sources said Kumar first appeared in Class 10 or matriculation examination in 1990 under the name of Ganesh Ram from CRSR High School in Giridih in undivided Bihar.

The arrested topper of the Class 12 board or intermediate examination conducted by the state-run Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) seems to be a habitual offender and succeeded in fooling officials while registering for Class 10 exams as well, sources said on Saturday.

Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB)’s class 12 exam topper Ganesh Kumar was arrested and his result cancelled after allegations of fraud over his age.(HT Photo)

Ganesh Kumar was arrested and his result cancelled after allegations of fraud over his age on Friday, the latest controversy to hit the beleaguered state education board that has been battling charges of mass irregularities and cheating for the third straight year.

He hit the headlines after he scored 82.6% but could not answer basic questions about his subjects.

BSEB sources said Kumar first appeared in Class 10 or matriculation examination in 1990 under the name of Ganesh Ram from CRSR High School in Giridih in undivided Bihar. “His date of birth has been mentioned as November 7, 1975,” the official said.

He completed his intermediate in 1992 from Jhumri Tilaya, which now in Jharkhand.

During the course of interrogation on Saturday morning, Kumar is learnt to have told the police that he fudged his age to get job.

BSEB chairperson Anand Kishor, however, said there was no doubt about his educational performance in examinations and marks obtained by him. “We have carried out all types of verification. His marks have been verified and all his marks are justified,” Kishor told a news channel.

Officials said it was a tip off about on his age that set the ball rolling for the action against Kumar. He was called to the BSEB office on Friday and arrested subsequently. An FIR was registered at Kotwali police station on the basis of the statement of Bipin Kumar Singh, section officer of BSEB, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Kumar denied any wrongdoing on his part and went philosophical after his arrest. “Jane anjane mein galti ho jati hai (mistakes are committed inadvertently),” he said and sang - Mera Jiwan Kora Kagaz Kora Hi Rah Gaya - the famous song sung by Kishore Kumar in Kora Kagaz to show his love and knowledge of music.

Board officials also said action would be taken against RNSJN Utkramit Madhya Vidyalaya in Samastipur for registering a fudged age.

Last year, several people, including the topper in the humanities exam, were arrested after it was found that the merit list had been fudged. During a subsequent investigation, the IA topper pronounced political science as ‘prodigal science’ and claimed it was related to cooking.

The IA topper and three other toppers were later arrested, resulting in the uncovering of an examination racket that fixed results in exchange for cash.

The board’s then chairperson Lalkeshwar Singh, his wife, son-in-law, owners of some colleges and several others were found to have connived to manipulate results of undeserving students who paid lakhs to secure the first division.

The economic offences wing of Bihar police has recommended a probe into money laundering to the enforcement directorate against Singh and others.

The 2016 science topper and 13 others were summoned by the board for a re-test, which most of them failed. The arts topper was sent to Beur Model Jail and later shifted to a remand home after the court accepted her to be a minor on the basis of her matriculation certificate stating her date of birth as November 15, 1998.