Education scam : JD Sangma appears before magistrate
SHILLONG: Former Director of Elementary and Mass Education JD Sangma, who is alleged to be involved in the education scam, told before the First Class Judicial Magistrate K M Lyngdoh Nongbri that he reduced the cut-off marks of some applicants to accommodate those names recommended by then Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh.
The statement on oath made before the Magistrate early part of this year following the FIR filed by social activists Angela Rangad and Agnes Kharshiing demanding action against those involved in the scam. The criminal case is still pending.
“For those whose names did not appear in the list of qualifying candidates, we received a request from Ampareen Lyngdoh to include those names also in the list”, Sangma told the magistrate.
According to him, they included few of these names in the waiting list by reducing the cut off marks for them so that they can be accommodated.
“This was done because of the request of the Education Minister. The cut-off mark was not reduced for other candidates whose names were not requested by the Education Minister. This is not a fair practice but I went ahead by relaxing the cut- off mark of the candidates requested by the Education Minister. I know that if I do not do the result would never be approved as she is the ultimate authority. I am obliged to the Government and I did it even if it was wrong. I have nothing more to say”, Sangma said.
However, Sangma asserted that the score sheets placed before him already had white ink fluid used in them.
“I believe the Selection Committee had used the white correction fluid in the columns of absentee candidates. Correction fluid was also used against the marks obtained by candidates who had appeared. I do not know why the correction fluid was used over the marks of the candidates who had appeared. When I reviewed the score sheet the white ink fluid was already used on the sheet”, Sangma told the magistrate.
He also said that the score sheets where correction fluid was used were from Jowai and Amlarem.
“I cannot say why was the correction done on the score sheets and I did not make any comments or remarks to the correction made in the score sheets as I forwarded the list to the Government. Some correction had initials whereas some did not”, Sangma said.
According to the statement given by one of the members of interview board Jacob Myrten as witness early part of this year before First Class Judicial Magistrate R.M.Kharsyntiew, when he signed the score sheets and submitted them in 2009, there was no manipulation. But he was surprised to see that score sheets before the CBI officers who questioned him for two occasions, were tampered and manipulated.
“There was overwriting over the white ink whereas in some scoresheets, the marks were simply erased. I cannot say how the tampering occurred or who had done it”, Myrten said.
In the similar way, another member of the interview board in 2009, Andreas Sun said that at the time when he signed the score sheets, they were neat and clean and there was no sign of tampering or overwriting. There was no correction fluid used.
However, in 2012, when he was examined by the CBI officers for about 5 hours, they showed him the score sheets and he noticed that in some of them there were some over writing. The sheets were tampered and white fluid ink was used.
As per the statement of Ameka I Lyngdoh who was the secretary State Eligibility Test, her duty was to enter the marks obtained by viva voce of the candidates from Jowai, Amlarem, Resubelpara and Mairang in score sheets.
“Some corrections were made when the members present were of an opinion that more marks are to be given to a candidate on his/ her performance in the interview conducted by us”, Lyngdoh said, adding that there was no other correction made.
“I wish to state that the Director (Elementary and Mass Education) had informed us that a request was made by the Minister to select certain candidates. As the final list has already been made, these candidates whose names the Minister has requested were named in the waiting list. I do not know whether the marks of these candidates were checked or not”, Lyngdoh said.
Resperland Iawphniaw, who was one of the members of the interview board in East Khasi Hills said that he had signed in the score sheets of the candidates who had come for the interview and he did not see any correction or the use of any correction fluid in the score sheets.