Bihar exam board to get de-duplication software to screen ‘repeat’ fraud cases

Bihar board’s overage IA topper had managed to short circuit the system to enrol in Class 9 to secure matriculation certificate with a lower age that would make him eligible for a government job.

In the midst of raging controversy over a re-run of intermediate (Arts) topper scam, involving an over-age examinee Ganesh Kumar, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) has decided to get a de-duplication software developed to identify ‘suspect’ candidates, having same father’s name, to prevent them from reappearing in matric exam.

Bihar board 'topper' Ganesh Kumar was arrested after the Bihar School Examination Board cancelled his result. (PTI file photo)

The 42-year old Kumar, who had passed Class 10th and 12th examinations in 1990 and 1992, had managed to short circuit the system to enrol in Class 9 to secure matriculation certificate with a lower age that would make him eligible for a government job.

BSEB chairman Anand Kishor said the board was in the process to acquire a de-duplication software to screen such candidates and maintain closer scrutiny. “In this case, the first name of the candidate and that of his father were the same. Proper software for flagging such suspect cases will be of great help,” he said.

Kumar, who passed the two exams earlier, had done it under the surname of Ram. Now, with a new surname (Kumar) he not only passed matric but also went on to top intermediate (Arts) examination this year, on the heels of Ruby Roy in 2016. But, like Roy, who pronounced political science as ‘prodigal science’, he also buckled before the media in explaining sur (notes)and taal (meter) — a basic question in his chosen subject i.e Music, in which he excelled, securing 83/100 marks.

Kishor said the board was in the process of getting all data related to examinees migrated online. The data for 12 years (2005-16) is available online. Once the remaining data for the period 1986 to 2004 is migrated online (in the next four months), the board will be in a position to “minimise” such cases of age fudging, he said.

Explaining that the task was huge and could become fool proof only when Aadhaar seeding is made mandatory, he said: “Complete check will be possible only when those in the know of things come forward to complain.”

The BSEB chairman promised that the board would be more than willing to entertain complaints and initiate necessary action in cases, where people have even managed to secure jobs on the basis of wrong age proof. Matriculation certificate is considered as a key document for age proof.

Currently, Ganesh Kumar is in jail and his newly acquired certificates have been scrapped. Once he is able to reply to the show-cause, BSEB will take a view on the cancellation of his result, which would then pave the way for the declaration of a new topper.