SFI suspect insider job in WBJEE scam

Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, August 3, 2007
Students Federation of India (SFI), the CPI(M)’s students wing on Friday said they suspect employees and members of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Exam board behind the recent admission racket.
SFI pointed out that the WBJEE racket might not have been operated successfully without the help of some insiders from the board. “The racket is so big that we cannot keep the people in the WBJEE board above suspicion. The impersonators and racketeers would not have succeeded with the help of invigilators alone,” said Sudip Sengupta, state president of SFI.
The students’ body has found several loopholes that points to insiders and has recommended restructuring of the board.
“The board sends two invigilators to every exam centre and even they failed to recognise the dummy candidates. It is also curious that as many as 25 candidates from some exam centres were successful. A massive restructuring is necessary to cleanse the board,” said Sengupta.
He also countered that unlike the engineering course, transparency was not maintained during counselling for the medical course. “During the engineering counselling session, students had information on all aspects including the number of available seats. In fact, the information is still available online. But medical rank holders did not have access to such information,” Sengupta said.
The SFI has also urged the government, to form a committee to review the question pattern and the exam system as a whole, by comparing it with that of other states. “The committee must probe the loopholes and decide what is best for students. Suggestions from students’ organisations may also be solicited. We are also against only multiple choice questions,” he said.
The students’ organisation has also demanded choosing government institutions in place of private ones as exam centres. “Government servants have experience conducting many such exams and are also answerable,” he said.
mou.hindustantimes@yahoo.com