Assam: Ten arrested in Gauhati University mark sheet scam
Guwahati: As things turn murkier in the Gauhati University mark sheet scam, ten individuals including three government officials have till now been arrested so far following serious allegations of the university officials tempering with students’ marks.
The Crime Investigation Department (CID) and Assam police have arrested earlier individuals eight individuals from different locations of the state in Guwahati, Kalgachia in Barpeta, and Dhubri.
Among the arrestees, Krishan Krishnamurti is an employee at Gauhati University, Shivtosh Mahato works at Dhubri Law College, and Aminul Islam is a librarian at a college in Barpeta’s Langla.
The scam came to the limelight following a student, Azizul Haque’s forgery case from Barpeta’s Ganesh Lal Choudhury College (GLC), which later revealed a chain of misconduct and fraudulent activities within the University’s grading system.
“Those responsible for managing the university’s computerised mark sheet system were found to be taking bribes to increase the students’ marks. Six cases related to this incident have surfaced so far and the main accused in the scam has been arrested,” said CM Himanta.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also stated that both Assam Police and the CID are working jointly to investigate and uncover the whole network of bribed officials
Earlier the Postgraduate Students’ Union of Gauhati University levelled allegations of irregularities, asserting that university authorities involved in answer booklet evaluation and mark updation engage in illicit practices by manipulating marks on the final mark sheet of students in exchange for monetary benefits.
The university’s student union stated, “The entire scam is being orchestrated by Gauhati University. Employees of various departments of the university are involved in it. In the name of mark sheet evaluation, they are increasing marks of students in exchange for cash.”
They further claimed that lifting a backlog in one subject costs Rs 16,000 while lifting backlogs in four subjects costs Rs 1 lakh.
A network of intermediaries is reportedly present at every institution under Gauhati University, with some students also being involved in the scam.
Moreover, it is also revealed that when a re-evaluation application is received, certain authorities increase the marks for money instead of properly rechecking the papers.