Student check

Ranchi, Aug. 18: Dummy candidates beware! A foolproof system is on its way to bust impersonators who take the state joint entrance examination on behalf of some over-ambitious aspirants.

The Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCCEEB) has proposed the introduction of biometric measurements, such as thumb impression, to verify the authenticity of candidates during engineering and medical tests. And, if the board has its way, the system will be in place from 2009.

The thumb impression of an examinee will be taken during the entrance test. If the candidate qualifies, he/she is required to appear for counselling, where the thumbprint will be taken for a second time. Both the impressions will be matched to verify whether the candidate is genuine.

“The biometric system will be a foolproof method to rein in dummy candidates during entrance tests and counselling. We are looking for service provider firms to introduce the system from next year,” said R.K. Singh, officer on special duty at JCCEEB.

Two cases of impersonation for money have apparently prompted the board to act tough. In 2007, a student of the National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Hatia, was caught taking the test on behalf of a candidate, who appeared during counselling. The fraud was exposed when the authorities compared the photograph of the student who appeared for the test with the one who underwent counselling.

The board currently relies on digital photography to curb impersonation during exams. But this method is flawed. First, there is no software to compare photographs of candidates appearing for the test and those appearing for counselling. It has to be done manually. Second, fake candidates often appear with heads shaven or sport a beard to conceal their identities. Photographs hardly serve the purpose in such cases.

The board has blamed faulty government machinery for cases of dummy run. Sources say that while the original candidates may land in police net, the fakes often walk free. The NIFFT student, who was expelled from the institute in 2007, is yet to be arrested.