By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday asked the state police crime branch to probe into an allegation that the marks sheet of a minister’s son after a state-level exam was revised by state officials.
School and Mass Education Minister Bishnu Charan Das had resigned Friday after allegations that he directed officials of his department to increase the marks of his son in the high school certificate exam held this year.
Officials of the Orissa Board of Secondary Education, which conducts the high school certificate examination, revealed that the minister’s son Bijoy Shankar Das was awarded 89 in Oriya in place of 39 that he had actually scored, 80 in English against 50, 60 in mathematics paper II in place of 40, 50 in science instead of 40 and 54 instead of 45 in social science paper II.
Patnaik had earlier deputed the state’s chief secretary to probe into the allegation. The chief minister’s fresh order came after Chief Secretary Ajit Tripathy submitted his report to him Tuesday night.
The chief minister has also directed P.C. Mohapatra, former exam board president, to inquire in detail about the examination system followed by the body and to suggest reforms, a press release issued from the Chief Minister’s Office said.
Patnaik also ordered suspension of at least eight employees of the board for their alleged involvement in revising the marks of the minister’s son.
They are board president Minaketan Pani, controller of examinations Madan Mohan Swain and officials S.M. Mishra, N. Sutar, Babaji Behera, S.K. Behera, Bharati Patra and B. Mallick.
Patra, a clerk, had revealed to the media the alleged involvement of board officials in the scandal.