'Imposter question setter will face legal action'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 23 2024: Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM) Examination Controller Ayam Thoi has said that Laishram Rajesh who claimed to be a question setter of the board by holding a fake appointment order will face legal action.

Laishram Rajesh who is said to be the Principal of Brilliant Academy, Thoubal went to several coaching centres to earn money by fraudulently claiming that he is one of the question setters of BOSEM. Speaking to media persons at their Babupara office today, BOSEM Examination Controller Ayam Thoi said that they learnt about DESAM pulling up Rajesh on Sunday through social media.

"It was said that the fake appointment letter in the possession of Rajesh had the signature of the Examination Controller.

I should have issued a clarification immediately but I could not do so as I was outside the State", Thoi said.

He thanked DESAM for bringing out the man who was posing as BOSEM's question setter for the High School Leaving Certificate Examination 2025 with a fake appointment order.

He also appealed to other student organisations to bring out such frauds and anti-social elements if they come across any.

BOSEM will seek legal aid and see what action can be initiated against the teacher who was in possession of fake appointment order under the Prevention of Malpractices in Higher School Leaving Certificate and Higher Secondary Examination Act 2024, Ayam Thoi said.

BOSEM would also intimate Brilliant Academy, Thoubal that Laishram Rajesh should not be allowed to serve in the school either as Principal or as a teaching staff, he said.

Even if the school has done no wrong, BOSEM and the higher authority may initiate de-recognition process if Laishram Rajesh is allowed to work in the school as Principal or as a teacher ever again, he warned.

Saying that the fraudulent activities of Laishram Rajesh can demoralise the student community and ruin people's faith in BOSEM, the Examination Controller appealed to all the teachers not to ever commit any fraudulent activity like Rajesh.

Parents can hire/consult private tutors to teach their children who would be appearing for the HSLC Exam to make up for their weak areas but the parents should never go searching for question setters or moderators.

Earlier BOSEM received feedback of some parents searching for question setters and moderators.

BOSEM will take up legal action if any students or parents are found indulging in such illegal acts, Ayam Thoi said.

"I took over as BOSEM's Examination Controller only on November 22, 2023.So I have no idea what Laishram Rajesh was doing in BOSEM in the past", he said.

"Nonetheless, as the Examination Controller, I know all the teachers who have been selected as question setters for HSLC Examination 2025.I also know all their names as well as their contact numbers.

But Laishram Rajesh pulled up by DESAM yesterday is not one among them", he said.

On enquiry, it has been learnt that Laishram Rajesh was among the evaluation team of HSLC Exam 2024.But he was never involved in setting questions or other confidential matters, Thoi said.

When reporters pointed out that they have come across a photograph of Laishram Rajesh attending a meeting of National Education Policy (NEP) held in Sikkim together with BOSEM Chairman A Joykumar in a past annual calendar of BOSEM, the board's Chairman Akham Joykumar said that Laishram Rajesh was serving as an examiner.

As an examiner who had some knowledge of CBSE, Laishram Rajesh was assigned to attend the NEP held in 2020 together with a couple of other teachers.

But he was never a part of any confidential work of BOSEM, Joykumar said.

"I think Laishram Rajesh indulged in such fraudulent activities because he is suffering from financial crisis and trauma", the BOSEM Chairman said.

"Just before the HSLC Exam 2024, the post of Examination Controller was lying vacant.

As the situation did not allow me to wait for appointment of a new Examination Controller, I went to Guwahati together with Laishram Rajesh in November 2023 for a consultative meeting on question setting for he has some knowledge of CBSE", Joykumar said.

The order in possession of Rajesh must be fake.

He was never told that question setting had begun on November 13-14, Joykumar said.

He added that BOSEM is considering taking up legal action against Rajesh.

BOSEM Secretary S Jitelal Sharma was also present at the press meet.

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