T’gana EdCET 2nd ranker held for using proxy candidate

A second rank holder in the Education Common Entrance Test (EdCET-2015) test was today arrested for allegedly using a proxy candidate to write exam on his behalf, police said.

The accused, Maliga Linga Swamy, had engaged one Shoban, former student of Osmania University (OU), to appear for the EdCET test on his behalf to enable him to get admission to a B.Ed course in OU here, they said.

“The Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) had conducted the EdCET-2015 on June 6 for selection of candidates for 25,000 B.Ed seats in the state,” a release from Hyderabad Police said.

There are 160 B.Ed seats in OU campus and it is highly competitive.

Following allegations of manipulation during the exams, Prof Padala Prasad, Convener of Telangana State Education Common Entrance Test-2015, lodged a complaint and a committee was constituted by TSCHE to enquire into the alleged malpractices in the entrance test.

“After due verification of records, the committee felt that there was a need to conduct detailed investigation into the allegations made against the two top rankers– M Krishnakanth and Linga Swamy,” police said based on the complaint.

Central Crime Station (CCS), a wing of Hyderabad Police, registered a case under sections 419 and 420 of the IPC in connection with the alleged malpractices against the first (Krishnakanth) and the second rank holder (Linga Swamy).

During the course of investigation, Linga Swamy was taken into custody and interrogated, who in his confessional statement stated that he after completion of MA (English) from Osmania University desired to take admission in EdCET to continue in OU Campus.

“In pursuance of his desire, he asked his friend Srinivas Reddy (OU Student) to send his application online for EdCET-2015 by affixing the photo of one Shoban. Accordingly, Shoban appeared for EdCET on behalf of Linga Swamy,” police said.

Shoban was a student of Osmania University and he is now working in Railways under Group-D category.

“As Linga Swamy does not have capability of securing a good rank in the EdCET and to get admission in the OU Campus, he took the assistance of Shoban,” the police said adding efforts are on to nab the other accused involved in the crime.