An individual identified as Pramod Kumar, a resident of Azamgarh district, was apprehended on Wednesday while attempting to impersonate a candidate in the Uttar Pradesh Education Service Selection Commission (UPESSC) Trained Graduate Teacher (TGT) examination. The fraud was exposed through biometric verification procedures at an examination centre in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the incident occurred at the Islamia Girls Inter College examination centre, located within the Kotwali police station area. Discrepancies were noted during the biometric and document verification process that commenced after the examination began. Officials stated that the accused was appearing in the examination on behalf of Vimal Kumar, a candidate from Farrukhabad district.
During routine verification, a static magistrate and college authorities observed suspicious behaviour from the individual presenting himself as the candidate. A thorough review of his Aadhaar card, admit card, and biometric data confirmed that he was an imposter.
City Magistrate RK Verma confirmed that the accused was immediately detained and handed over to the local police for further investigation into the matter. Preliminary interrogations revealed that Pramod Kumar had allegedly entered into an agreement with Vimal Kumar to take the TGT exam in his stead for a sum of Rs 1.5 lakh.
The accused reportedly told investigators that he had received an advance payment and was scheduled to receive the remaining balance upon the successful completion of the examination. The police have taken Pramod Kumar into custody and have initiated legal proceedings against him. Authorities are also actively working to locate and apprehend the actual candidate, Vimal Kumar, who is believed to be involved in orchestrating the impersonation.
The TGT examination for the UPESSC commenced across various centres in Bareilly district on June 3. The examination saw a significant turnout, with arrangements made for 32,365 candidates spread across 20 designated examination centres. To ensure the integrity and transparency of the selection process, authorities had implemented stringent security measures. These included comprehensive CCTV surveillance across all centres and the deployment of static magistrates to oversee the conduct of the examination and maintain order.
The UPESSC TGT examination is a crucial recruitment process for teaching positions in government-aided secondary schools across Uttar Pradesh. The commission is responsible for conducting recruitment examinations for various educational posts in the state. The TGT examination specifically assesses candidates’ eligibility and knowledge for teaching graduate-level subjects.
Instances of examination malpractice, including impersonation and the use of unfair means, have been a persistent challenge in competitive examinations across India. Authorities have been continuously strengthening their verification processes, incorporating advanced technologies like biometrics, to curb such fraudulent activities. The successful detection of this impersonation highlights the effectiveness of these enhanced security protocols in safeguarding the sanctity of recruitment examinations.
The investigation into the alleged deal and the extent of the conspiracy is ongoing. The authorities are expected to take strict action against all individuals found to be involved in the examination fraud. The outcome of this investigation could also lead to a review of security arrangements for future examinations conducted by the UPESSC and other examination bodies in the state to prevent recurrence.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
