Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: The state government has agreed to go ahead with a crime branch probe into the 2010 Plus Two results.

The results had come under the scanner after private self-financing institutes fared better than premier state-run colleges.

Even institutes such as BJB College and Ravenshaw Junior College put up an unimpressive performance.

“There was some irregularity in the Plus Two results last year.

“We had approached the government for a crime branch probe. We obtained the clearance only a few days ago,” said Chandrashekhar Kumar, secretary, higher education department. We will give it to the crime branch and they will take it up,” said Kumar.

Of the top 10 scorers, eight were from Kalinga Bharati Residential College (KBR) in Cuttack, including the topper. Out of the three students who came second, two were from KBR College.

BJB College managed to secure the third rank.

Ravenshaw Junior College only managed to secure 15th place.

The poor performance of government colleges drew criticism from all quarters.

It is the general perception that the brightest students in the state enroll in either BJB College or Ravenshaw College. It came as a surprise to the higher education department when neither of these colleges managed a good score.

The then higher education secretary, Madhusudhan Padhi, had directed the council of higher secondary education (CHSE) to probe any irregularity that may have taken place.

The CHSE authorities, however, apparently failed to come up with satisfactory reports.

They had said they were unable to supply any reports because there was not enough evidence.

“In October the department recommended a crime branch inquiry into the results and then chief minister Naveen Patnaik issued an order,” a senior official in the department said.