NIOS Exam: Seven arrested over irregularities in Assam's Tinsukia

TINSUKIA: Seven people, including the principal of a school, were arrested for allegedly facilitating cheating and other unfair practices during NIOS examinations in Assam's Tinsukia district in exchange for money, police said on Friday.

It was alleged that candidates appearing for National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) examinations at various centres in the district were charged between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 in exchange for assurances of success, they said.

There were also allegations that candidates were allowed to use unfair means and provided assistance during examinations after paying money, police said.

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A team led by Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Purunjay Bora conducted a surprise raid at the Bhawati Bhagwan DV Shiksha Niketan during the examination on Thursday and detected the alleged malpractice, they said. Seven persons, including the school's principal, Raghav Prasad Rai, were arrested during the operation, they added. Police said the other accused have been identified as Sunil Kumar Verma, Ajit Jain, Biki Prasad, Dipu Barman, Suresh Giri and Shubhnath Bhagat.

An FIR was registered, and all seven were produced before a court on Friday. They were taken into custody for questioning and further investigation, they said.

Police said they were investigating the extent of the alleged money collection, the possible involvement of others and whether the malpractice was confined to one examination centre or extended to other centres in the district.