Rajasthan Police SOG Exposes OMR Scanning Scam: Banned UP Firm Rebranded to Secure Contracts
The Rajasthan Police's Special Operations Group (SOG) has uncovered a significant scandal involving optical mark recognition (OMR) answer-sheet scanning in the state. Investigations reveal that a private firm, previously barred in Uttar Pradesh due to irregularities in recruitment examinations, managed to secure contracts in Rajasthan after rebranding itself. This development follows the recent arrest of five individuals, including the board's technical head and firm employees, for allegedly manipulating scanned OMR sheets using photo-editing software to inflate marks.
Arrests and Allegations of Digital Manipulation
In a crackdown on examination fraud, the SOG arrested five persons accused of tampering with OMR sheets. Those apprehended include Sanjay Mathur, the technical head of the board; programmer Pravin Gangwal; two employees of the private firm, Shadan Khan and Vinod Kumar Gaur; and a candidate, Poonam Mathur. Investigators stated that digital alterations to the scanned OMR sheets led to the inflation of marks for as many as 38 candidates, highlighting the scale of the alleged malpractice.
Firm's Rebranding and Scrutiny History
Sources indicate that the firm, originally registered in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh under a different name, has been under scrutiny since 2017 for alleged irregularities in public recruitment examinations. Around 2018–19, the firm rebranded itself as Rabhav Pvt Ltd and listed its location as New Delhi. A senior official noted, "We are still examining documents, but it appears the firm changed its name and address during that period to secure contracts in Rajasthan." Despite the owner's arrest in UP in separate cases, the company successfully obtained contracts for scanning OMR sheets in Rajasthan.
Contracts Awarded for Key Examinations
The rebranded firm secured contracts for scanning OMR sheets for three examinations conducted by the Rajasthan Subordinate and Ministerial Services Selection Board. These included the Supervisor (Women Empowerment), Laboratory Assistant, and Agriculture Supervisor recruitment examinations. Although these were 2018 recruitment drives, the exams were held in 2019. Investigators are now probing why the firm was awarded these contracts despite available background details and whether due diligence was properly conducted by the concerned officials.
Investigative Challenges and Regulatory Concerns
Officials highlighted that rules require the identity of firms engaged in such confidential work to be restricted, with access limited to the board's chairperson. However, sources claim that despite repeated requests, the board has not yet handed over all original OMR sheets to the investigators, posing challenges to the ongoing probe. This raises questions about transparency and accountability in the handling of sensitive examination materials.
The SOG's investigation underscores the need for stricter vetting processes and enhanced oversight to prevent such frauds in recruitment examinations, ensuring fairness and integrity in public service selections.
