Unfair Means: Probe reveals BOSE officials assisted Peerzada’s son to pass Matriculation examination

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Srinagar: In a startling revelation that has brought to fore the rot in the educational regulation mechanism, the state’s education minister allegedly in connivance with then secretary BOSE (now chairman) managed to get his son qualify matriculation examination through “unfair means.”
After a thorough probe into the allegations that son of education minister resorted to use of unfair means during the conduct of Senior Secondary Examination (SSE) 10th Annual Regular in 2009, Greater Kashmir has clinching evidence in terms of documents about the use of dubious means and how answer scripts of Urdu and Mathematics were written in two hands so as to enable him (minister’s son) pass the matriculation examination.
GK has learnt that despite internal probe in BOSE and constant reminders from Governor and Chief Minister’s secretariats about the allegations, there was no forward movement in the case since the allegations involved those who are at the helm of affairs.
The Case
A teacher (name withheld) at private Al Ameen School in Humhama in 2009 after initially remaining mute spectator to gross misconduct of copying wrote a complaint which was endorsed by joint secretary examination and forwarded by the assistant secretary strong room, wherein it was alleged that a candidate bearing Roll No. 228211 of SSE (10th) Annual Regular, who happens to be the son of education minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed resorted to unfair means during conduct of examination in connivance with the supervisory staff and BOSE officials, particularly the then deputy director academics, who is alleged to have provided illegal and undue help at the best of the then secretary BOSE.
As per the confidential and preliminary report F-628 (JSS-BOSE) 09 dated 25/12/2009, the case was forwarded to then secretary BOSE with the recommendation to withhold the result of the examinee.
Upon this the secretary ordered to seek the report from Vigilance Squad for any action in the case.
The matter was proceeded with through concerned section of Unfair Means (UFM) of BOSE and statements of the vigilance squad, including that of superintendent was also recorded.
The Revelation
At the culmination of the examination (November 5, 2009), the vigilance squad headed by academic officer and other three members inspected Centre No. 228 (Al Ameen School) and found the examinee bearing Roll No. 228211 copying with some incriminating material.
The answer script along with the handwritten chits which were found on the spot were handed over to the academic officer for registering case under unfair means.
The confidential report in possession with GK reveals that the concerned lady academic officer after receiving a phone call from the then secretary BOSE, had to let off the candidate without registering any case under UFM.
Sources in BOSE said that an officer of the rank of then deputy director academics was on spot to assist the son of education minister in resorting to UFM.
“It was by chance that the vigilance team conducted check at Al Ameen School. The then deputy director academics on seeing the team managed to escape from the spot. The driver of the team who was outside saw him and identified the officer,” sources said.
The report says “the vigilance team has strong belief that the chits were prepared by him (the then deputy director academics) and all illegal and undue favour was tendered by him apart from his questionable presence at the examination centre.”
“After recording the statements, the matter was again brought to the notice of secretary for perusal and orders with a recommendation to put the case under UFM category,” says the report.
Sources said the recommendation was declined by the then secretary BOSE as was indicated by the declaration of the result of the candidate in question.
Further, after the declaration of the result, the investigation by GK revealed that the answer scripts of Urdu and Mathematics of the son of education minister under Roll No. 228211 were written in two hands so as to make him qualify the examination.
“The distinction is discernable visibly and as such does not require the opinion of the hand writing expert,” reveals the confidential report.
The BOSE report in fact pinpoints to the establishment of glaring malpractice in the case, which it terms ‘organized and not episodic with active connivance as well as concerted efforts of the responsible officers of the BOSE.’
“The essential feature of the case is the paternity of subject linked to honorable minister of education which has been traced from the record. Therefore, the facilitation and malpractice under undue influence cannot be ruled out,” reveals the report.
In fact, the BOSE officials who prepared the report in their final assessment said that in view of the statements of vigilance squad, superintendent of centre no. 228 it has been established that the candidate bearing Roll No. 228211 managed undue and illegal help during the course of the examination and particularly on the last day of examination which needs to be addressed.
It also says: “Further the unauthorized presence of the deputy director academics in the examination centre, criminal silence of secretary BOSE for notwith-holding the result of the candidate, statement of vigilance squad that academic officer received a phone call from secretary to leave the candidate without framing any UFM case and above all two answer scripts of Urdu/Math in two hands speaks volumes of illegal and undue favour to the candidate amounts to abuse of power.”
While calling for proceedings under rules, the report says that the ‘unfair means procedure expected to be adopted with the safe conduct of examination under the circumstances gets polluted under undue influence or other questionable means which otherwise is supposed to be impervious to any external force, however high it may be in order to confirm the public policy and welfare of State, this can be the greatest injustice to a resourceless student who converges his or her hopes on the high degree of sensitivity/sanctity within BOSE.’
GK is in possession of Urdu answer script which reflects how the candidate in question (minister’s son) has solved his Urdu paper. After having a look at the script, it becomes evident that he had managed to obtain five marks for an answer written by BOSE official with marked difference in hand writing. The five marks advantage helps him pass the Urdu paper.
Sources said even after lapse of two years, there has been no forward movement in the case and the file remains dumped within the corridors of BOSE.
Despite repeated attempts Chairman BOSE was not available for comment.

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