Class 10, 12 marksheets available for ₹25,000 in MP:Operator says, ‘No need to attend school, I’ve been in this business for 10 years’

Pay ₹25,000 and a Class 10 or Class 12 marksheet will be delivered to your mobile phone within a day. A printed copy will follow within eight days. The document will appear on the board’s website and can be used even for government employment. This was the claim allegedly made by Anand Malik, who runs Adarsh Higher Secondary School in Ashoknagar, during a telephone conversation. He further claimed that an Open School marksheet could be arranged for ₹40,000. According to an investigation by Bhaskar, a network of brokers is allegedly operating across several districts of Madhya Pradesh, offering Class 10 and Class 12 marksheets with desired scores for amounts ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹25,000. The certificates are alleged to have been used for purposes ranging from obtaining driving licences to securing government jobs. The newspaper said it spent nearly six weeks investigating the network. During the course of the probe, a school operator and a government teacher were reportedly recorded on camera claiming to arrange and sell educational certificates. The investigation sheds light on an alleged racket that, if proven, raises serious concerns about the integrity of educational records and the recruitment process in public institutions. Promotions cancelled after fake marksheet allegations In Niwari district, Anganwadi assistants Anita Devi Kushwaha and Rajkumari Yadav were accused of securing promotions to the post of Anganwadi worker using fake Class 10 marksheets. An inquiry was conducted following complaints, and their promotions were cancelled. However, no major action was reportedly taken afterwards. The case prompted further inquiries into the source of such certificates, particularly in the Gwalior-Chambal region, where similar allegations had surfaced. School operator allegedly offered backdated marksheets The first lead reportedly emerged in Ashoknagar, where Anand Malik, operator of Adarsh Bal Vikas Higher Secondary School, was alleged to have been arranging fake marksheets for several years. During a conversation with an undercover reporter posing as a student’s relative, Malik allegedly agreed to provide a Class 10 marksheet after being told it was needed for a job at the Bina Refinery. According to the investigation, Malik claimed that a PDF copy of the marksheet could be provided first, with a printed copy delivered within about seven days. He allegedly quoted ₹25,000 per marksheet and said backdated certificates for the 2018-19 session could also be arranged. Claimed certificates would pass verification During the conversation, Malik allegedly claimed that the certificates could clear verification checks conducted by private companies. He also suggested National Open Board marksheets and claimed that certificates could be issued without appearing for examinations, with marks adjusted as required. He further claimed that he had been involved in arranging MP Board and Open Board marksheets for around 10 years and that several people had secured jobs in departments such as Anganwadi and Education through his assistance. Degrees from B.Ed to PhD also allegedly offered The investigation found that Malik also claimed he could arrange educational degrees ranging from B.Ed to PhD. He allegedly stated that a PhD degree could be obtained while continuing a regular job, at a cost of ₹3.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh. Datia link leads investigators to another alleged network A second lead reportedly took investigators to Datia district. Some of the questioned marksheets carried the name of Bright Future Public School in Basai and the Urdu Education Board. Local residents identified the institution as being run by the Pateria brothers. When contacted by a reporter posing as a relative of a worker seeking a Class 10 marksheet for employment purposes, Dinesh Pateria initially insisted that certificates were issued only after study and examinations. However, after several conversations, he allegedly agreed to arrange a meeting with his brother Avdhesh Pateria. Government teacher allegedly accepted money for certificate Investigators later met Avdhesh Pateria, who is reportedly a government teacher. During the meeting, he allegedly accepted ₹2,100, collected a photograph and a copy of the student’s Class 8 marksheet, and gathered personal details. Although he reportedly said the process would take three to four months, a photograph of the completed marksheet was allegedly sent to the reporter’s mobile phone the very next day. The image carried the name of Bright Future Public School and the Urdu Education Board. Certificate found on board website The investigation further claimed that the marksheet details appeared on the Urdu Education Board’s website when the roll number was checked. The record reportedly displayed the same photograph that had been collected during the meeting, suggesting that the certificate had been entered into the board’s records.