Mahbubul Hoque, the Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), was arrested in the early hours of Saturday from his residence in Guwahati’s Ghoramara area by the Sri Bhumi Police and STF. The arrest followed allegations that Hoque’s institution had taken money from 214 Class 12 CBSE students of the Sri Bhumi Central School, promising to help them during their Physics examination. However, when the students did not receive any assistance at the exam center, they created a tense situation and raised their voices against Hoque’s institution. The students alleged that they were promised help in the exam in exchange for money. Based on a complaint filed at the Sri Bhumi Police Station, Hoque was arrested. Initially, he was taken to the Panbazar Police Station and later transferred to Sri Bhumi.
In response to the arrest, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his reaction to the media on Saturday. He stated, “For a long time, we have been monitoring a major syndicate operating in Assam. This syndicate has been changing the exam centers of students appearing for Medical, Engineering, and CBSE exams. After this, some students are taken to specific schools.” The Chief Minister further alleged, “In a similar incident, 247 students from Goalpara, Nagaon, and Kamrup districts were taken to Patharkandi in Barak Valley with the promise of securing more than 30 marks in the CBSE exams. When they did not receive the promised help, the students created a ruckus, and now the syndicate is gradually coming to light.”
The Chief Minister also emphasized that such activities are not limited to CBSE exams. He said, “These activities are not confined to CBSE alone; a similar syndicate operating in Medical entrance exams will also be exposed.” Regarding Mahbubul Hoque, the Chief Minister remarked, “We had already stated that this man is a big fraudster. His history is filled with deceit. He has been trying to mislead people by managing certain groups.”
The arrest has brought to light the alleged malpractices in the education sector, raising concerns about the integrity of examination processes and the exploitation of students. Investigations are ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge as the case unfolds.
