The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail plea of a man accused of using a proxy candidate to fraudulently appear in the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET), remarking that such acts of cheating not only jeopardize the careers of sincere students but also erode public trust in the education system.
Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh, in a strongly worded order dated July 8, observed, “Cheating in an examination deeply affects the career of meritorious students who rely on hard work and honesty. It creates an uneven playing field, where merit is overshadowed by manipulation.” He added that such malpractices promote a culture of dishonesty and demotivate sincere candidates.
The bail application was moved by Sandeep Singh Patel, who stands accused of orchestrating a scheme to have another man, Lokendra Shukla, impersonate him in the CTET exam on December 15, 2024. According to the prosecution, Shukla was caught by exam centre authorities using a fake admit card, and biometric verification failed to match his identity.
Both Patel and Shukla were subsequently booked under relevant provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
Patel’s counsel had argued that he was hospitalized from December 14 to 17 and had no involvement in or knowledge of the impersonation. It was also contended that Patel had no criminal history, no flight risk, and had no financial transactions with the alleged solver. The defence further pointed out that the co-accused, Shukla, had already been granted bail.
However, the state government’s counsel opposed the bail, citing substantial evidence including call records showing that Patel had been in contact with co-accused individuals involved in arranging the impersonation. The court, agreeing with the prosecution, concluded that Patel was the primary beneficiary of the fraudulent scheme and thus could not be presumed innocent.
“Cheating devalues genuine merit,” the court said, “and over time, it can lead to a loss of motivation and trust in the system among sincere students, who may feel their dedication is undervalued.”
