Teacher, 2 others booked over ‘ ₹10 lakh per paper’ NEET-UG exam racket

The police also recovered ₹7 lakh cash from teacher's car which was paid to him by other accused as an advance to help a candidate get into the merit list.

Published on: May 10, 2024, 14:53:46 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Gujarat police on Thursday filed a criminal case against a schoolteacher and two others in Panchmahal district's Godhra for their alleged involvement in the malpractice of helping six candidates appearing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) exam by promising to solve their papers for ₹10 lakh each.

The NEET (UG) is an all India entrance test for students to want to pursue medical courses. (Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Based on a complaint filed by District Education Officer Kirit Patel, an FIR has been lodged at the Godhra taluka police station against three individuals---a physics teacher and the deputy superintendent of exams at the centre, Tushar Bhatt and two others namely Parsuram Roy and Arif Vora--- for “malpractice and cheating” at Jay Jalaram School in the town, which was one of the centres of May 5 examination.

The police also recovered ₹7 lakh cash from Bhatt's car which was paid to him by Vora as an advance to help a candidate get into the merit list.

Read Here | NEET UG exam: Over two dozen including 14 solvers arrested from separate districts

According to the FIR, the accused said the candidates who promised to pay money were instructed to solve the questions that they knew and leave others blank so that they could be filled with answers when papers were collected from them after the exam.

The malpractice was foiled at the school on the day of the examination after the district collector received a tip-off. Patel, along with the district additional collector, reached the centre on Sunday and quizzed Bhatt.

Upon thorough checking, the team found a list of 16 candidates with their names, roll numbers and exam centres, which was sent to his WhatsApp number by co-accused Roy. When asked about the list, Bhatt said these were candidates who were to take the NEET exam at his centre. He confessed to having been promised ₹10 lakh each to solve the question papers of six of these candidates. One of the aspirants had even paid ₹7 lakh in advance, which was seized by authorities.

Read Here: Second-year MBBS student caught while appearing as dummy at NEET

The three accused were booked for criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy, a Godhra taluka police station official said.

Further investigation in the case was underway, he added.

The NEET (UG) is an all India entrance test for students who want to pursue undergraduate medical (MBBS), dental (BDS) and AYUSH (BAMS, BUMS, BHMS) courses in government and private institutions in India.

(With inputs from PTI)

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