Three hrs of shame
A G School staff’s statements recorded by the board in 2008 reveal how shamelessly rules were broken to help two builders’ children
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, April 08, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010040820100408031201420cc7530df)
All fingers point to H N Chavda, who was secretary of GSHSEB at the time of the fake fractures’ scam. Statements of A G High School staff and writers recorded by the Board reveal how Chavda, Bhagwatsingh Rawat, Bhatt and another teacher flouted all rules to help two builders’ children cheat in their HSC Science exams.
It remains to be seen if, after two GSHSEB inquiries and two police probes, justice will truly be served in this case.
Kalpanaben Thakor
Post: Lab co-ordinator at A G High School, supervising the hall where Harsh Kotak and Komal Patel were writing their physics paper
Her statement: A Board member (Bhagwatsingh Rawat) came to the examination room, soon after exams began. He started dictating answers to one of the students (Komal Patel). I stopped him and asked the peon to call sir (principal K N Thakar) immediately. The peon came back and told me, ‘A big saheb (H N Chavda) is sitting in the principal’s office. No one is ready to listen to me’.
I then asked him to call Atulbhai (school clerk). Atulbhai grabbed the board member’s hand and took him out of the examination room. The board member came back again after a while and continued dictating answers to both students (Harsh and Komal). Thereafter, in-charge of the examination centre K M Thakar also came. He told the Board member to stop dictating and went away. Thereafter, another person (Bhatt) claiming to be from Gandhinagar, came to the room. He assured Kalpana nothing untoward was happening as the GSHSEB secretary himself was present in the school office.
A while later, Chavda sir came to the room and told the squad member (Rawat) ‘Je naa aavde te aa lokone lakhavi dejo (Dictate whatever these students do not know)’. I got scared. “The cheating continued for an hour in two phases. When I asked the students (Harsh and Komal) who the Board member was, they told me ‘Aa Bhagwat sir che. A-One School maa bhanave che. (This is Bhagwat Sir. He teaches in A One School)’. Komal told me Rawat was her tutor.
Atul N Shah
Post: Clerk, A G High School
His statement: I know H N Chavda since the time he was a District Education Officer. During the examination, he brought Rawat, Bhatt and an unknown person to the centre. At 3.45 pm, Rawat started dictating answers. Bhatt kept a vigil outside the room. Peon Mohan asked me to accompany him to the examination room.
I caught Rawat red-handed and dragged him to the principal’s office. After a while, he went back to help the students cheat. Again, I brought him back. I told Chavda about Rawat but he ignored me. Chavda was present at the centre for almost two hours.
Kirti M Thakar
Post: Principal of AG High School, in-charge of examination centre
Her statement: Peon Mohan told me that squad members were helping students cheat. I went to the examination room and asked Rawat and Bhatt to get out. They said ‘Ame Chavdana manso che (We are Chavda’s men)’.
Chavda had left the centre then. The cheating resumed half-an-hour later when he returned. When we asked Chavda if Rawat and Bhatt were his men, he did not answer.
In the meantime, Atulbhai brought Rawat to the office. But he returned to the examination hall a while later. Our entire staff was upset by the incident and we informed the trustees of the Ahmedabad Education Society (that runs the school) about the incident in the evening. The cheating took place in the presence of the GSHSEB secretary and zonal officer (S N Doshi).
Kalpana Patel
Post: Assistant teacher, Krinanagar Vidyavihar High School in Naroda who was exam supervisor at the centre
Her statement: Chavda came with the flying squad members to the school. Later, supervisor Kalpanaben Thakor informed me about the wrongdoings in the examination centre. I spoke to K M Thakar and Atul Shah. Thakar and I were standing in the room when Atulbhai told Chavda that the flying squad members were helping students cheat and they claimed to be the GSHSEB secretary’s men. Chavda ignored him.
A squad member then asked me supervise another floor as Chavda was inspecting the ground floor (where Harsh and Komal were taking the exam).
Chavda sir stayed at the centre for two hours.
Hriday Acharya
Post: Writer for Harsh Kotak
His statement: I only knew I had to write an exam for a differently abled student. I did not know who the person was. When I reached A G High School, I was told I had to write the paper for Harsh Kotak. Fifteen minutes after the exam began, a man came into the room. He sported a pink badge with his photograph on it. The person kept coming to the room time and again and dictated answers to me. This went on for two hours. During the period, he dictated answers carrying 65-70 marks. After I reached home, I related the entire incident to my father.
Parth Pandya
Post: Writer of Komal Patel
His statement: I had no idea whom I had to write the answers for. A strangers with a pink badge entered the examination hall and compelled me to write what he dictated. He made me write down answers carrying 65-70 marks.
Rajendra (Raja) Chandraprasad Pathak
Post: Principal of Swastik School
Her statement: Harsh Kotak is a student of Swastik School. His parents made a oral request for a writer and submitted a certificate from the civil hospital. On March 10, 2008, we filled up the necessary form and got the consent of Hriday’s parents. Komal Patel’s parents also demanded a writer. We sent Parth Pandya.
On March 13, 2008, Hriday’s parents told us about irregularities at the examination centre. We decided not to send writers. So Parth did not appear as writer on March 13, 2008.
Then Harsh’s parents called us up, saying they had trouble finding writers. I then telephoned Muktak Kapadia and asked him to arrange for writers.
We do have any financial or social relationship with the above mentioned parents and students. I filled up the details and certified the forms so that my students do not face any problems.
(Statements were recorded in Gujarati)
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, April 08, 2010 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20Latest§id=2&contentid=2010040820100408031201420cc7530df)
All fingers point to H N Chavda, who was secretary of GSHSEB at the time of the fake fractures’ scam. Statements of A G High School staff and writers recorded by the Board reveal how Chavda, Bhagwatsingh Rawat, Bhatt and another teacher flouted all rules to help two builders’ children cheat in their HSC Science exams. The statements were recorded on March 28, 2008 at the Board office in Gandhinagar. Following the inquiry, Chavda was transferred as principal of DIET (Anand). Witness accounts show his involvement but Chavda was not questioned even once by the Board or the cops.
The Board did issue a charge sheet against Chavda last October. However, its timing is suspect as the government was supposed to file its reply in the High Court in November about action taken against the officers and teachers involved in the scam. It remains to be seen if, after two GSHSEB inquiries and two police probes, justice will truly be served in this case.
Kalpanaben Thakor
Post: Lab co-ordinator at A G High School, supervising the hall where Harsh Kotak and Komal Patel were writing their physics paper
Her statement: A Board member (Bhagwatsingh Rawat) came to the examination room, soon after exams began. He started dictating answers to one of the students (Komal Patel). I stopped him and asked the peon to call sir (principal K N Thakar) immediately. The peon came back and told me, ‘A big saheb (H N Chavda) is sitting in the principal’s office. No one is ready to listen to me’.
I then asked him to call Atulbhai (school clerk). Atulbhai grabbed the board member’s hand and took him out of the examination room. The board member came back again after a while and continued dictating answers to both students (Harsh and Komal). Thereafter, in-charge of the examination centre K M Thakar also came. He told the Board member to stop dictating and went away. Thereafter, another person (Bhatt) claiming to be from Gandhinagar, came to the room. He assured Kalpana nothing untoward was happening as the GSHSEB secretary himself was present in the school office.
A while later, Chavda sir came to the room and told the squad member (Rawat) ‘Je naa aavde te aa lokone lakhavi dejo (Dictate whatever these students do not know)’. I got scared. “The cheating continued for an hour in two phases. When I asked the students (Harsh and Komal) who the Board member was, they told me ‘Aa Bhagwat sir che. A-One School maa bhanave che. (This is Bhagwat Sir. He teaches in A One School)’. Komal told me Rawat was her tutor.
Atul N Shah
Post: Clerk, A G High School
His statement: I know H N Chavda since the time he was a District Education Officer. During the examination, he brought Rawat, Bhatt and an unknown person to the centre. At 3.45 pm, Rawat started dictating answers. Bhatt kept a vigil outside the room. Peon Mohan asked me to accompany him to the examination room.
I caught Rawat red-handed and dragged him to the principal’s office. After a while, he went back to help the students cheat. Again, I brought him back. I told Chavda about Rawat but he ignored me. Chavda was present at the centre for almost two hours.
Kirti M Thakar
Post: Principal of AG High School, in-charge of examination centre
Her statement: Peon Mohan told me that squad members were helping students cheat. I went to the examination room and asked Rawat and Bhatt to get out. They said ‘Ame Chavdana manso che (We are Chavda’s men)’.
Chavda had left the centre then. The cheating resumed half-an-hour later when he returned. When we asked Chavda if Rawat and Bhatt were his men, he did not answer.
In the meantime, Atulbhai brought Rawat to the office. But he returned to the examination hall a while later. Our entire staff was upset by the incident and we informed the trustees of the Ahmedabad Education Society (that runs the school) about the incident in the evening. The cheating took place in the presence of the GSHSEB secretary and zonal officer (S N Doshi).
Kalpana Patel
Post: Assistant teacher, Krinanagar Vidyavihar High School in Naroda who was exam supervisor at the centre
Her statement: Chavda came with the flying squad members to the school. Later, supervisor Kalpanaben Thakor informed me about the wrongdoings in the examination centre. I spoke to K M Thakar and Atul Shah. Thakar and I were standing in the room when Atulbhai told Chavda that the flying squad members were helping students cheat and they claimed to be the GSHSEB secretary’s men. Chavda ignored him.
A squad member then asked me supervise another floor as Chavda was inspecting the ground floor (where Harsh and Komal were taking the exam).
Chavda sir stayed at the centre for two hours.
Hriday Acharya
Post: Writer for Harsh Kotak
His statement: I only knew I had to write an exam for a differently abled student. I did not know who the person was. When I reached A G High School, I was told I had to write the paper for Harsh Kotak. Fifteen minutes after the exam began, a man came into the room. He sported a pink badge with his photograph on it. The person kept coming to the room time and again and dictated answers to me. This went on for two hours. During the period, he dictated answers carrying 65-70 marks. After I reached home, I related the entire incident to my father.
Parth Pandya
Post: Writer of Komal Patel
His statement: I had no idea whom I had to write the answers for. A strangers with a pink badge entered the examination hall and compelled me to write what he dictated. He made me write down answers carrying 65-70 marks.
Rajendra (Raja) Chandraprasad Pathak
Post: Principal of Swastik School
Her statement: Harsh Kotak is a student of Swastik School. His parents made a oral request for a writer and submitted a certificate from the civil hospital. On March 10, 2008, we filled up the necessary form and got the consent of Hriday’s parents. Komal Patel’s parents also demanded a writer. We sent Parth Pandya.
On March 13, 2008, Hriday’s parents told us about irregularities at the examination centre. We decided not to send writers. So Parth did not appear as writer on March 13, 2008.
Then Harsh’s parents called us up, saying they had trouble finding writers. I then telephoned Muktak Kapadia and asked him to arrange for writers.
We do have any financial or social relationship with the above mentioned parents and students. I filled up the details and certified the forms so that my students do not face any problems.
(Statements were recorded in Gujarati)
