In the ongoing investigation into financial irregularities at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized over 200 answer scripts during a search conducted on September 6.
These scripts, belonging to students who completed their final semester exams in 2023, were discovered at the residence of Arpita Bera, who is the sister-in-law of former principal Sandip Ghosh.
As reported by Telegraph, the search operation was done at Bera's apartments in Milan Pally, Siliguri, West Bengal revealing the answer scripts stored in a trolley bag.
This find led the ED to interrogate Bera and her husband about the presence of these documents. According to ED officials, their explanations were unsatisfactory, and they are expected to be re-interviewed.
In addition to the answer scripts, the authorities confiscated various documents pertaining to Ghosh's properties, such as copies of land deeds and tenders. Ghosh, who resigned from his position following the rape and murder of a junior doctor on the campus, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on September 2. His arrest is linked to allegations of financial misconduct at the medical college.
A Look at 5 Major Nexus-Based Exam Scams
AIPMT Paper Leak (2011): The All India Pre-Medical Test (AIPMT) is a national-level entrance exam for medical courses. In 2011 the AIPMT faced a scam where the question paper was leaked in Haryana.
Besides, some candidates were reported to be using electronic devices, such as mobile phones and Bluetooth devices, to receive answers during the examination. This suggested a well organised cheating network operating during the test. The incident led to the cancellation of the exam, affecting thousands of aspiring medical students.
Vyapam Scam (2013): Also known as the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, was a massive admission and recruitment scandal conducted by the PEB, including medical and engineering entrance tests. It was uncovered that answers were manipulated and question papers leaked for money, resulting in numerous arrests and a wide-ranging investigation.
AIIMS Recruitment Scam (2023)
Question papers were leaked on social media for an examination by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) for recruiting 3,055 nursing officers. The exam was scheduled to be held in June 2023.
On the day of the exam, social media was abuzz with screenshots of the question papers leading to speculations of paper leak. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested the alleged mastermind.
NEET UG scam (2024): An unusually high number of students scored a perfect 720 score in the exam, sparking concerns of possible cheating, and irregularities in conducting and grading the NEET-UG. On 5 May 2024, the examination faced allegations of question paper leaks. While social media posts claimed the exam questions were leaked, the NTA denied these allegations. This led to massive student protests across country demanding the cancellation of the exam and a re-examination.
JEE Main Paper Leak (2019) The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2019 was plagued by allegations of paper leaks and answer manipulations. Coaching centers had access to leaked papers, which were sold to students at high prices, resulting in arrests and further investigations by the CBI.
