Last year's dummy writers scam has hit students genuinely in need of writers; GSHSEByet to implement new rules

Despite last year's dummy writers scam, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) hasn't taken a lesson. The annual board examination is set to start from March 17, but the board hasn't implemented new rules to hire writers till date. On the other hand, owing to the scam, genuine students, mainly visually and physically challenged, are finding it difficult to get writers. Admitting the fact, GSHSEB chairman Hasmukh Adhia told DNA that because of last year's incident students are not willing to be writers even in genuine cases such as for physically and visually challenged students.

When asked about new rules and regulation that are likely to be implemented to hire writers, the board's examination secretary, Dinesh Patel, said there were some changes in the rules but it will take time to implement.

Ironically, the dummy writers scam haunted the board last year for many months even after the declaration of results. It was a high-profile case wherein a city builder's children, Harsh Praveen Kotak and Komal Sanjay Patel, had hired dummy writers by faking injuries. The board had to debar both the students from appearing in the examination for three years. "We are going to make some strict provisions for hiring writers this year so that such cases can't be duplicated. It is also true that because of last year's scam many students are not willing to be writers even in genuine cases," Adhia said.

Blind People's Association has managed to hire writers for its students, but it took much effort on its part to convince writers and even schools this year. "We had to make extra efforts to convince students to be writers for our students and school authorities to allow them. But since we have lots of students, students as well as school authorities somehow agreed. But individual students who need writers are going to suffer a lot," said Bhushan Punani, executive director of Blind People's Association.

Difficult times

Because of last year’s dummy writers’ case, students are not willing to be writers even in genuine cases of physically and visually challenged students GSHSEB had to debar both the students from appearing in the examination for three years

The BPA has managed to hire writers for its students, but it took much effort to convince

writers and even schools this year

DNA Correspondent/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication