Board results of open school exams withheld

Only those centres will be taken up as exam centre that have the facility of CCTV cameras. We are also in touch with the IT ministry .... so that we can use biometric attendance system. AN NIOS OFFICIAL

NEW DELHI: Board results of more than 1,000 students who reportedly did not appear for examination but came out with flying colours in Class 10 and 12 in Madhya Pradesh have been withheld, sources said.

The exams were conducted by the National Institute of Open Learning (NIOS) in March and results were declared in May-June. Once the allegations came to light, a committee of experts was formed for a probe.

The board has also decided to step up security measures during examinations, such as biometric authentication and installing CCTV cameras at the examination centres.

“Only those centres will be taken up as exam centre that have the facility of CCTV cameras (except in the case of Kendriya Vidyalyas and Jawahar Navodya Vidyalayas). We are also in touch with the IT ministry — common service centres scheme so that we can use biometric attendance system,” said a senior official. This is likely to be introduced in the exams to be held in September.

More than 3 lakh students took the class 10 and 12 exams conducted by NIOS this year. “Serious cases of impersonation and copying have come to light and are being probed further. Major irregularities have been noticed, for example, students’ attendance has been forged, there were some centres where in reality a few students took the exam and many more have passed. All this is being probed. NIOS has taken it very seriously,” said an official.

Sources further said that large-scale impersonation has allegedly taken place in connivance with the accredited institutes of NIOS and examination centres, which are now being investigated.

The enquiry was set up by the board in June comprising independent experts to ensure a fair probe. There are approximately 60 centres of NIOS in Madhya Pradesh where examinations were held and cases of impersonation were found in three of them.

Sources further said that the results of the students were declared first and after getting a complaint the issue was probed and the results were withheld.

The state has been home to the Vyapam scandal in the recent past. Large scale cases of underhand dealings for admission to medical colleges 2013 had hit the headlines.