'My Best Friend' snitches on 96 copycats in SSC exam!

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has caught 96 copycats from an exam centre at Kawali in Shehera in Panchmahal district for mass copying in English (second language) paper in SSC exams held recently.

Interestingly, it was their collective best friend 'Vikram' who spilled the beans as all 96 students had written a photocopy essay on 'My Best Friend' without changing the name and basic traits of their pal.

Sources in the GSHSEB said that the board was alerted about mass copying in six centres including Kawali, Gondal, Mota Konda, Kodinar, Mahisagar and Morva Raina in the last leg of the SSC boards. Following this, papers of 240 students suspected to have been involved in mass copying was set aside for scrutiny.

"A total of 96 students of Kawali exam centre were confirmed to have mass copied either through chits or a teacher having dictated to them as their entire essay was unusually similar with Vikram all 96 students' best friend who plays tennis. All of them met Vikram in school, he is an intellectual boy and is environment enthusiast. What's more, all students had same mistakes too; the glaring one being 'Only we call in (instead of him) Vicky" said a board member.

The students were summoned to the GSHSEB's Gandhinagar office for questioning by the examination reforms committee.

Board to give exemplary punishment

Most of the students could not even write the essay title ‘My Best Friend' in English. Some could not even spell Vikram correctly. Alarmingly, some could not even write their names correctly,” added the member.

Incidentally, the CCTV footage from the centre is not continuous. “Disruptive electricity supply has been cited as the reason,” said sources.

Chairman of GSHSEB A J Shah said that the board is determined to get to the root of this mass copying and set exemplary punishment to curb the menace. “We have summoned the examination centre supervisor and other supervising teachers on May 24 to get their statements. If they are found guilty of facilitating mass copying, exemplary action will be initiated," said Shah.