GUWAHATI, Oct 31 - With the unearthing of the scam regarding use of proxy candidates to pass the JEE (Mains) examination, the mushrooming of private coaching institutes and consultancies has become an issue of serious concern for conscious circles in the city.
During an investigation carried out by The Assam Tribune, it came to light that setting up of coaching centres for medical and engineering admission tests along with consultancy services to provide admission in private institutions located outside the State has become a lucrative business option for a section of people.
The investigation also brought to light the fact that a number of people from outside the State are involved in the business and they always remain in constant communication with various coaching institutes of the State.
Some people associated with the coaching institutes and consultancy services stated that anyone can start the business in the city by taking a trade licence from the local municipal authority. The entire business is out of the jurisdiction of the State education department.
In this business anyone can earn hefty sums of money within a short time span. According to a person involved with the business, they take lakhs of rupees from a candidate for a seat in a reputed private medical or engineering institution located outside the State.
�Now the government engages private firms as outsourcing agencies, so to some extent the examination system has become frail. As a result some people with vested interest are taking advantage of the system and minting money illegal,� the person said.
It is also learnt that a section of college teachers have also stepped into this business. Some of them have been running the business without any permission from the GMC.
�Anyone can avail a trade licence to start a coaching centre or consultancy service in the city. Like from other business organisations, the State government is earning huge amounts of tax from such institutions every year. On the other hand, there is no strict rule and regulation to operate them, though they are directly related to the education of our children,� a source in the education department said.
Meanwhile, officials in the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) said that anyone can get a trade licence to establish a coaching centre or consultancy service by submitting six different kinds of documents including PAN card, voter ID card, building permission, �no objection certificate� from police, etc.
Sources in the education department also informed that a few years ago the department had proposed to bring all coaching institutes under its jurisdiction. But due to some unknown reasons the department is yet to take any further step in this regard.
Meanwhile, police on Saturday arrested one Kakoli Buzarbarua in connection with the sensational Joint Entrance Examination (Main) examination proxy candidate case.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Suprative Lal Baruah, who is leading the special investigation team (SIT) formed by the Guwahati police commissionerate to investigate the scam, said that the arrested person is working as counsellor at Global Edulight, a city-based consultancy. She was arrested from Bharalumukh area of the city. This evening the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Kamrup (Metro) sent her to three-day police custody.
Bhargav Deka, owner of Global Edulight is on the run. Sources said he is taking shelter outside the State. The police are still in the dark about the identity of the proxy candidate who took the JEE (Main) examination on behalf of Neel Nakshatra Das.
Yesterday the police also raided the residence of Deka in Gitanagar area and recovered some incriminating documents. Based on those evidences the police later arrested Kakoli Buzarbarua. The police also seized some incriminating documents related to the scam from her possession.
Till date, the police have arrested altogether six persons in connection with
the scam.
