Thiruvananthapuram: The Mahatma Gandhi University authorities in Kerala on Tuesday began a formal inquiry into the allegation that an inspector general of police had cheated in a second-year LLM (Masters in law) examination conducted at the St Paul’s College in Kalamassery, Kochi.
The incident happened on Monday morning and the police officer in question, T.J. Jose, the range inspector general of Thrissur, has denied the incident.
Early reports indicate that the inspector general, who is also an Indian Police Service officer, may be debarred from the examination for a two-year period if the charge against him is proved.
The Mahatma Gandhi University vice-chancellor Babu Sebastian had ordered an inquiry into the allegation. The university deputy registrar is coordinating the investigation. Jose, however, did not turn up for the examination on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the police department has also decided to hold an investigation into the matter. However, the probe led by the northern range additional director general of police, Shanker Reddy, is likely to commence only on Wednesday.
Early indications are that the IG may get off lightly in terms of any punishment on the academic front, but will face more severe consequences on the career front. The home department is taking the charge seriously, and he has been asked to proceed on leave, pending inquiry.
Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala commented that the IG had “brought disgrace to the police force”, and that “it is to be considered whether such officers should continue in service”.
Ironically, the charge of copying in the exam against the inspector general comes only days after the furore over the results of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination in the state, in which as many as 98.57 per cent of the students passed.
The pass percentage, which was the highest in history, evoked widespread criticism and even calls to cancel the examination in future if the intention of the state government was to pass everyone who wrote the SSLC examination.
