The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Sunday raided two coaching centres in the Capital as part of its investigation into the leakage of MBBS entrance question papers.

According to sources, two separate teams of officials from the anti-graft body raided NAME Institute for Medical Education and Orbit Education Centre in the Capital and seized computers and other documents.

The officials also raided Baneshwor-based house of Nabin Sharma, one of the owners of NAME, and seized a bond paper. Officials suspected that the bond paper could have been reached between the entrance preparation centre and one who was assured of the question paper.

The CIAA also raided the house of Dr Prabhat Kumar Kuswaha, the prime suspect for the leakage of entrance question papers. It seized Rs 100,000 in cash and cheques worth Rs 4.5 million of various banks from Kushwaha’s Nakhipot-based house. Kushwaha is a middleman who was jailed for four years for a similar crime and released just two months ago. He was arrested on October 1, 2010 from Maitidevi and was charged with disclosing questions of MD entrance examination of Institute of Medicine (IoM) under Tribhuvan University. “Preliminary investigation suggests that Kushwaha received one million rupees each from seven students,” an official said.

The anti-graft body has rounded up seven people, including Kuswaha, as part of its ongoing investigation. The other arrestees include Goldengate College Director Deviram Pandey and teacher Khechar Nath (Harihar) Sapkota, who were held with question papers of Biology Sets ‘A’ and ‘B’ from Ratopul. The duo is said to have acquired the question papers and produced copies to be given to nine students who allegedly paid Rs 1 million each for the same.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Bishwo Prakash Pandit said the traditional way of conducting examination is responsible for the question papers leakage. He said if the traditional types of question papers are replaced with those which prioritise creative answer, the problem can be controlled to a large extent. Speaking at an interaction in the Capital on Sunday, he said the ministry is working to change the question model.

Fake examinee arrested
Police arrested a fake examinee sitting for MBBS scholarship examination conducted by the Ministry of Education on Saturday from Kathmandu Model College in Bagbazaar. Subash Mandal of Saptari, who is said to be a second year MBBS student at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, was found to have been taking the exam for Jitendra Kumar Adhikari. Police were informed after the examination superintendent found that Mandal was impersonating.

Kamalpokhari Metropolitan Police Circle chief DSP Binod Silwal said Adhikari had promised financial support to Mandal. Mandal in his statement said Adhikari was taking scholarship examination for the past two years but had not succeeded. DSP Silwal said Adhikari had completed his higher secondary level studies from Pentagon College. DSP Silwal said they will book Mandal under Education Act 1971. According to the Act, if someone is found taking examinations on behalf of others, the concerned authority will charge a fine of up to Rs 100,000 or sentence to six months in jail or both.

source: the kathmandu post,8 dec 2014