Chennai, Mar 28 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu Police have commenced a probe after the higher education department gave a formal complaint regarding the personal data of students being sold by certain officials in the department to private consultants.

According to a senior officer with the state police headquarters, a special team has been constituted and a probe has begun. The higher education department in its complaint with the police said that in almost all districts of the state the data of students including their phone numbers and other private details were sold to private educational consultants.

It is to be noted that immediately after the NEET and JEE results, the consultants approached the students and parents and provided details of educational institutions where admissions could be taken. Many parents have lodged complaints with the educational department in previous years and when the volume of such complaints increased, the higher education department lodged a formal complaint.

There were also news reports that certain higher education department officials were selling the data that were stored in the Education Management Information System (EMIS).

The cyber wing of the Chennai city police commissioner has also commenced an investigation as datas of all districts were stored in the headquarters of the state higher education department.

Police said that a few officials in the higher education department headquarters are under scanner and are checking the details of these officials, including their bank details.