Proxy caught giving exam in place of Chhattisgarh Education Minister's wife

Raipur: A dummy candidate allegedly appeared in place of state Education Minister Kedar Kashyap's wife for a post-graduation exam conducted on Tuesday by an open university held in Bastar district.

The incident came to light after some local media personnel, who had received a tip-off in this regard, reached the high school in Lohandiguda, where the examination of MA English final part was being by conducted by Pt Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University this afternoon.

Complaining that a fake woman candidate was giving the exam in place of Shanti Kashyap, the journalists asked the in-charge of the examination centre, Hemant Khaparde, to match her appearance with the photo on the candidate's admit card.

"Since there was a mismatch between the dummy candidate's appearance with that of Kashyap's photograph in the university records, the in-charge immediately informed me," Vice Chancellor, Pt Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University Bansh Gopal Singh said.

Following the incident, a two-member committee has been constituted to probe the episode, the V-C added.

According to Khaparde, as soon her identity came to light, the dummy woman candidate fled from the centre, leaving her answer sheet behind.

The committee will visit the examination centre tomorrow for investigation in this connection, he said.

Talking to reporters, Khaparde said the lady who appeared for the exam was not Shanti Kashyap. "Her husband's name was mentioned in the records as Kedar Kashyap," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress has demanded dismissal of the Education Minister over the issue.

"It is evident through this incident that how a School Education Minister is playing with the future of students. One can imagine the scenario of education in the state if a relative of school education minister is involved in such act," state party chief Bhupesh Baghel said. Kedar Kashyap could not be reached for comment on the matter.