JEE Main Scam: Coaching Institute Manipulated Exam, Took Test 'Remotely' on Behalf of Students

CBI has detained seven people on allegations of trying to subvert the ongoing engineering entrance exams – JEE Main. Officials told News 18 that an initial investigation has revealed that Rs 15 lakh were being paid by candidates in exchange for someone else to take their test.

“Each candidate was asked for Rs 15 lakh. In return someone else would write their exam and assurance was given by the conspirators of a positive result,” a source told news18.

A statement from CBI said that the accused were manipulating the online examination of JEE (Mains) and facilitating aspiring students to get admission in top NITs. “In consideration of a huge amount of money the conspirators were facilitating scam by solving the question paper of the applicant through remote access from a chosen examination centre in Sonepat(Haryana),” CBI said.

A statement from CBI said that a case in this regard was registered on September 1 and subsequent raids were carried out at 20 locations in Delhi, NCR, Pune, and Jamshedpur. “Case was registered against a private company and others including its Directors, three employees and private persons(conduits),” CBI said.

CBI said that the private educational institution under the scanner had their touts, associates and staff posted at the JEE examination centre. The probe is on against those detained and some unnamed persons. At least one of the conspirators is from Bihar, as per officials.

As many as 25 Laptops, seven computers, around 30 post-dated cheques along with voluminous incriminating documents and devices including PDC’s mark sheet of different students were recovered during the raids.

CBI has registered a case against Affinity Education Pvt Ltd and others including its directors –  Siddharth Krishna, Vishwambhar Mani Tripathi, and Govind Varshne.

JEE Main was earlier administrated by CBSE and is currently conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The NTA was set up to make exams more scientifically oriented and transparent. The Agency claims to have scanners, identification checks among other provisions to stop such frauds. Every year, nearly 10 lakh candidates appear for JEE Main which not only allows admission to undergraduate level engineering courses but also is a gateway to IIT entrance – JEE Advanced.

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