The Vyapam Scam

The Vyapam Scam, also known as the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam, was one of the largest admission and recruitment scams to have ever occurred in India. It involved the manipulation of entrance exams for government jobs and admissions to professional courses in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The scam was first discovered in 2013 and continued to unravel over the next few years, revealing a web of corruption and deceit that had ensnared politicians, bureaucrats, and middlemen.

The story of the Vyapam Scam began in the early 2000s when the MPPEB was created to conduct entrance exams for government jobs and admissions to professional courses such as engineering and medical colleges. The MPPEB was tasked with ensuring a fair and transparent selection process, but over time, it became apparent that the board was rife with corruption.

The modus operandi of the scam was relatively simple. Middlemen would approach aspiring candidates and offer to help them cheat in the entrance exams in exchange for a large sum of money. The middlemen would then bribe officials within the MPPEB to allow the cheating to take place. The cheating was carried out through a variety of means, such as using impersonators to sit the exam, tampering with answer sheets, and even providing candidates with the correct answers through hidden microphones.

The scale of the scam was staggering. It is estimated that over 2,000 people, including students, parents, politicians, bureaucrats, and middlemen, were involved in the scam. The scam had a far-reaching impact, as those who had obtained their positions through cheating were not qualified for the jobs they held, leading to a decline in the quality of governance in the state.

The scam first came to light in 2013 when the Indore police arrested 20 people for their involvement in the scam. However, the true extent of the scam was not fully understood until the following year when a series of deaths occurred. In 2014, several people associated with the scam, including witnesses and accused, died under mysterious circumstances. The deaths sparked widespread suspicion that the people involved in the scam were being silenced to prevent them from revealing the truth about the scam.

The investigation into the scam was fraught with difficulties. Those involved in the scam were powerful and influential, and they used their influence to obstruct the investigation. Witnesses were intimidated, evidence was destroyed, and investigators were transferred or removed from the case. However, despite the obstacles, the investigation continued.

The investigation revealed that the scam had deep roots within the political establishment of Madhya Pradesh. It was discovered that several high-ranking officials within the state government were involved in the scam, including the former education minister of Madhya Pradesh, Laxmikant Sharma. Sharma was accused of taking bribes to facilitate the cheating in the exams and was eventually arrested.

The Vyapam Scam also had a devastating impact on the lives of those who were caught up in its web. Many students who had cheated in the exams were forced to withdraw from their courses or lose their jobs, and their families were left with huge debts. The middlemen who had orchestrated the scam were left penniless, and several of them committed suicide.

The Vyapam Scam was a stark reminder of the extent of corruption in India's public institutions. It highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability in government appointments and admissions. The scandal also brought to light the vulnerability of the poor and disadvantaged who were unable to secure admissions or jobs through legitimate means and were forced to rely on cheating to achieve their dreams.

In conclusion, the Vyapam Scam was a massive fraud that had a far-reaching impact on the state of Madhya Pradesh. The scam revealed the depths of corruption and deceit within India's public institutions and highlighted