MADURAI: Observing that exam irregularities cannot be condoned and would have to be dealt with an iron hand, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ordered a CB-CID probe into alleged malpractice by a student during Class 12 board examinations in March and April 2023.
Justice GR Swaminathan passed the order while dismissing a petition filed by the student’s father, V Vinayakamoorthy, who challenged a memo issued by the joint director (JD) of examinations (higher secondary) of the Directorate of Government Examinations, on June 28, 2023.
The petitioner claimed that though the memo required his son to give an explanation regarding the difference in his handwriting in mathematics, chemistry and physics answer sheets, the joint director annulled all examinations written by his son. Stating that the joint director had predetermined that his son had indulged in malpractice without conducting a proper inquiry or issuing a show cause notice, he requested the court to quash the memo and direct the issuance of a mark sheet to his son.
Justice Swaminathan noted that pursuant to previous directions issued by the court, the special intelligence cell of Madurai had investigated the issue and filed a status report, which revealed the existence of a much larger network. Thus, he opined that no interference is warranted in the matter. The student can provide his explanation before the joint director in the personal inquiry which is to be held on November 9. If the penalty is disproportionate, it is open to the student to move the court again, he added.
The judge also directed the JD to report the issue to the Madurai City Crime Branch, with further directions to the latter to register an FIR and forward it to the additional director general of police of CB-CID.
In a separate case, another student from the same private school had also filed a similar petition seeking the same relief. The judge dismissed the petition along the same lines, by granting liberty to move the court again if he finds the punishment disproportionate.