NEW DELHI: After ABP News reported on how Bihar arts topper Ganesh Kumar struggled to answer even basic questions, the student was arrested on Friday for allegedly forging admission. Bihar Police has lodged FIR against him and his result has already been suspended. Meanwhile, Bihar Board in its defence said copies written by Ganesh were correct, expressing its doubt over school's intention.

When ABP News asked Ganesh to sing and play instrument, Kumar was able to do so but unrhythmically even as he stumbled over basic queries posed by us. He had a difficult time explaining what is 'sur' and 'taal', considered the basics of music.

Kumar, who hails from Giridih in Jharkhand, appeared for his Class 12 exams in Bihar's Samastipur district-around 250 km away from his home.



He supported his claim saying that he had come to the village in search of livelihood after his father's death some years ago and had taken admission in the school thinking it will help in fetching a government job.

"After father's death, the condition of our family turned into miserable. I tried helping by taking tuition but couldn't earn enough. In search of work I landed here. Amid all of this, I was passionate about studying further so that I could apply for a government job. I decided to give time to studies while working," he said.



"I came to Samastipur in 2012 and sold newspapers on stations and markets to earn livelihood because I had little knowledge of things. I passed Class 10 in 2015," he added.

The 24-year-old Kumar, who failed to show any of his academic prowess, had no date of admission and local address mentioned in his admission form.

When unable to play musical instruments in rhythm, he blamed it on media persons coming to him since morning and asking him to sing and play which, according to him, made his fingers go 'tired'.

The Class 12 topper could not even properly tell the difference between psychologist and psychiatrist. He failed to spell English words -lieutenant, colonel, jewellery and schedule. He was also unaware of India's vice-president's name.

Kumar appeared for exams at Ramnandan Singh Jagdip Narayan High school in Samastipur's Chhakhabib village and scored 82.6 per cent.

He secured 92 per cent in Hindi, 82 per cent in music and 42 per cent in social science.

Last year, Ruby Rai had topped the Class 12 examination conducted by the BSEB in humanities stream, but landed into trouble media showed her giving ludicrous answers to basic questions related to her subjects. She said “prodigal science” is about cooking.

After Kumar's reality check, controversies continue to dog the state's Class 12 toppers.