Bihar exam row will be investigated from 'criminal' angle, says Nitish Kumar

Patna: Following the furore over the Bihar Board examination toppers being unable to answer basic questions related to their stream eventually leading to a re-examination, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday said the guilty won't be spared, adding the investigation into this matter will done with a criminal angle. "I am going to seek more information on this and take action. A similar case had come to the fore even earlier and we re-examined all those whose names were in the top 10 list," Nitish said. Talking about a previous case, where images and video went viral of rampant cheating being conducted in the matriculation examinations, he added that his government had taken firm action then. "The education department is looking into the matter and the state government will also intervene. Nobody will be spared. It is good that this issue came to light, as I am sure now that it won't happen again after tough action," the Chief Minister said. Emphasizing on the need to go to the root of the problem in order to solve it, Nitish said that cancelling results was not enough and added that a thorough probe was needed. "The probe can also take a criminal turn. Anyways, a probe is underway and I am confident that the education department will come through in its investigation," he added. Yesterday, the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) cancelled the results of two toppers, including Sourabh Shrestha, of the Intermediate (Science) examinations after they failed to prove their merits in a re-test. The board had on Friday asked Sourabh and his college mate Rahul Kumar, who were among the 13 toppers from the arts and science streams in the Class XII examinations, to reappear in a re-test following a controversy over their merits. Saurabh Shrestha from the Science stream, who had secured 485 out of 500, was caught on camera failing to answer basic questions Ruby Rai, the arts topper, from the same college failed to take the re-test on Friday citing health reasons. Rai had secured 444 marks out of 500 in the Arts stream. However, on camera she did not even appear to know the number of subjects in her course.