CB probes multi-crore ETT fraud Non-local candidates paid Rs 40000-80000 to brokers to secure admissions • Officials to visit Rajasthan, Punjab, other states to quiz candidates Syed Rizwan Geelani While Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by Board of Professional Entrance Examinations (BOPEE) in 2012 is under investigation, Crime Branch is probing another multi-crore fraud by brokers in connivance with officials to facilitate admission of non-local candidates in Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) institutes in the Valley. Sources in CB said they have compiled a list of students, who were illegally admitted in ETT institutes, by paying money to brokers. “The students had failed in the examinations. They were lured by brokers, who promised to facilitate their admissions in ETT institutes if they pay money. After students paid the money, the brokers got them fraudulently admitted in ETT institutes,” they said. The students, according to sources, after their admission to ETT institutes didn’t attend any classes and appeared in exams only. There have been allegations that scores of candidates have been admitted in ETT institutes in gross violation of norms. Sources said a Crime Branch team would soon leave for Rajasthan, Punjab and other States, where from candidates had applied for ETT courses in J&K. The Crime Branch has already taken cognizance of these irregularities and booked officials of Board of School Education (BOSE) and management of ETT institutes and other persons for granting permissions in gross violation of norms and indulging in malpractices. The officials were booked after CB received a complaint from BOSE chairman along with an inquiry report of Joint Secretary BOSE, Srinagar. The inquiry report had reportedly disclosed that courses conducted by ETT colleges was huge scandal and crores of rupees was paid as bribe and almost all the persons were involved in the loot. “All sorts of malpractices were committed as neither registration of candidates was done in time nor classes were started or the hostel facilities provided. The candidates were lured and Rs 45,000 – 80,000 was taken from each one of them through touts for providing them certificates by ETT institutions, who didn’t even fulfill basic norms and standards laid down by National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE),” the report said The investigations had revealed that an amount of Rs 8.22 crores was paid to officials by candidates through non-local brokers to facilitate their admission in ETT institutes. A case under FIR No 36 of 2013 under section 420, 468, 471, 120-B RPC r/w has been registered in CB regarding the issue. ETT courses, after being established in 2006, were to be conducted for two years in respective institutes and candidates were supposed to attend 180 classes for a single session. “After gouging through records of session 2006-2008, it was revealed that EET institutes had not conducted any academic session. The candidates had only appeared in exams,” a CB official said. He said as per their investigation, the brokers were in touch with officials of Education department and BOSE. “Large chunk of money was paid to officials to facilitate admission of students in ETT institutes”.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 02:38:30 +0000
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