Patna, March 31: Using unfair means seem to have become the norm in Bihar when it comes to writing examinations.

After the mass-copying incident was reported in the just-concluded Bihar School Secondary Board Examinations, over 1,600 aspirants for the post of constables have been arrested on the charge of impersonation during screening of documents and physical test.

A senior police officer, who is monitoring the recruitment process, said on Tuesday that such a large number of applicants for the post of constable have been arrested for the first time in the state. The officer said the arrest of the candidates has lent credence to perception that scholars (read writers) had appeared for these candidates at the written test conducted in October last year.

The government had advertised a total of 11,782 posts for recruitment of constables in the state police force. Around 7.6 lakh candidates had appeared at the written test held in two shifts at 770 examination centres across the state. "The number of arrests of impersonators will cross 20,000 as the process continues. The screening of women candidates will follow," said Sunit Kumar, the director-general-cum chairman of Bihar Central Selection Board for Constables.

During interrogation, the arrested candidates revealed to the officials that they had paid something between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh to the racketeers, who arranged writers to sit for them at the written test. The candidates have to go through tough tests at the 10 counters set up at the Patliputra Sports Complex (Kankerbagh) and Gardanibagh in the city. Around 52,000 candidates were selected for screening, sources said.

Most of the complaints leading to disqualification of the candidates were related to mismatch of their fingerprints, photographs, handwriting and signatures. "For the first time, we have made provisions for skill (ability) test for the candidates found to be fit for physical test. Simple questions related to general knowledge are asked from the candidates, which help the officials reach at logical conclusions," Sunit Kumar said.

Though such parameters for selection of the candidates were adopted earlier also, the process was completed in a haste leaving much scope for the candidates to dodge the officials. "But this time, we are giving sufficient time on each and every candidate and leaving no room for them to dupe the officials," he said, adding that all the arrested people were handed over to the Patna police for instating FIRs against them and taking further action.

The maximum number of arrests (around 300) was reported on Tuesday. A day before, a total of 239 impersonators were arrested and forwarded to jail. The screening of the documents started on March 16. "Over 1,600 impersonators have been booked between March 16 and March 31 this year," a senior official of Patna police said. Senior superintendent of police Jitender Rana said many of those candidates who sat for the tough exam were not the same who turned up for the next stage of the selection process.