How tech foiled MBBS’ cheating bid

How tech foiled MBBS’ cheating bid

TNN | Mar 13, 2021, 04.58 AM IST

NEW DELHI: After failing to clear the examination to enrol as a doctor in India six times in a row, 35-year-old Manohar Singh decided to use a proxy candidate to pass the test. He almost got away with it, but got caught when the face detection system flagged the difference in the photograph of the exam writer and Singh.

DCP (Southeast) RP Meena said the accused has been arrested and his degree seized. The paper writer has been identified, but is absconding. A manhunt is on to arrest him.

Singh had completed MBBS from Tajik State Medical University in Tajikistan. A probe revealed that he had hired a doctor for Rs 4 lakh to appear on his behalf for the exam.

While the doctor successfully wrote the paper, Singh’s result was frozen due to mismatch of his face ID captured on the examination day with the photo in the application form. He was later called in for verification in person and the mismatch persisted. The board then asked him questions from the exam paper, which he failed to answer.

National Board of Examinations (NBE), an autonomous body under Union ministry of health, was formed to standardise postgraduate medical education and examination in India. The board conducts Foreign Medical Examination (FME), which is a licentiate examination for Indian or overseas citizens who have completed primary medical qualification from other countries. Foreign medical graduates need to qualify FMGE to get registered with Indian Medical Council.

On March 11, two officials from the board approached police with a complaint regarding Singh’s alleged impersonation. “The FMGE screening test was conducted on December 4, 2020. Singh’s centre was at Mathura Road. After the mismatch was detected, he was called for verification of the face ID on February 3, but he did not come. On March 10, he finally visited and the board caught him,” stated their police complaint.

The accused was arrested and his admit card, MBBS degree and application form were seized. During interrogation, he confessed to hiring a doctor to take the exam in his place for a fee. A chargesheet will soon be filed against Singh, said an officer.