Faking disability to ace board exams

Gohil has alleged that these cases indicate that the Gujarat government is acting at the behest of millionaires who chartered aircrafts for the chief minister’s foreign jaunts, reports Rathin Das.

An examination ‘scam’ in Gujarat, where class X and XII Boards are on, threatens to malign Narendra Modi's image. The Chief Minister’s name has been dragged into a controversy in which a class XII student was caught on Saturday faking mental disability to get the help of a writer.

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Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said Rahi – daughter of Rajesh Adani of the multi-crore Adani Group – had taken the help of a writer under the pretext of being mentally challenged. He added that the mentally challenged category, as claimed by Adani, is entitled to half-an-hour extra time to finish the paper and not a writer.

Pointing to documentary evidences, Gohil said Rahi’s name was added by hand to the computerised list of handicapped candidates.

This, however, is not the only case of ‘faking’. Sons of two prominent builders were caught last week for faking fractures in their right hand. They, too, had availed the help of writers.

The rules provide for writers who had scored a maximum of 55 per cent in their exams, but the boys had got writers who were distinction holders – one had 82 per cent, the other 90 per cent. Gohil has alleged that these cases indicate that the Gujarat government is acting at the behest of millionaires who chartered aircrafts for the chief minister’s foreign jaunts. He said all this can happen only with the active connivance of the “Number One” (chief minister).

The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board has swung into action and state Education Minister Ramanlal Vora told HT on Tuesday that examination papers of the guilty students have been cancelled. They will also not be allowed to appear for any other paper this year, he said.