Sops for students boost cheats in UP

Result of SPs pass exam, get laptop offer

When the Samajwadi Party declared it would provide a free laptop or a tablet to every student who clears the intermediate or the high school exam, it didn’t imagine that this would push up the demand for ‘nakal mafias’ – gangs that help students cheat in exams.

The students appearing for the high school and the intermediate examinations of the Uttar Pradesh school education board are ready to pay just about anything to make sure that they clear them, so that they don't miss out on SP's computer deal – a laptop for passing the intermediate and a tablet for clearing the high school exam.

“The gangs are in great demand in these examinations and they have also increased their rates substantially. They have been demanding Rs 5,000 to 10,000 to help the examinees by providing them solved question papers,” according to a report.
The going rates are more for subjects which are considered tougher, particularly English, Mathematics and Physics.

Even students who could pass on their own,  though with average marks, are seeking help of the ‘copying gangs’ as they want to score higher marks. This is to ensure that they remain eligible for the offer even if the new SP government attaches some strings later, reports said.

The sops, according to education board sources, have also sharply increased the number of students taking the examinations. The number of candidates rose after the laptop offer was announced, indicating a possible role of the ‘copying gangs’.

The board, while issuing the exam schedule in December last year, had said that over 63 lakh students would sit for the exams at the high school and intermediate levels. The number shot up to over 64 lakh in the revised list issued earlier this month, showing a hefty rise of over one lakh students.

In December there was no word of the computer offer, which was made only in the last week of January.

Board officials, who were surprised by the sudden increase, were investigating the matter, sources said. They did not rule out the role of the ‘gangs’ in the matter.