Daijiworld Media Network – Koppal

Koppal, May 23: A local court in Koppal has launched an investigation into the academic credentials of a peon who scored exceptionally high marks in his Class 10 exams.

Prabhu Laxmikanth Lokare (23), achieved an impressive 99.5 percent in his class 10 exams, which secured him a position as a peon in the Koppal court. Lokare, originally from Sindhanur taluk in Raichur district, had only attended school up to class 7 before starting work as a cleaner at the Koppal court.

On April 22, 2024, Lokare's name appeared on the final merit list for the peon recruitment exam, based on his class 10 marks. However, concerns arose when court officials observed his difficulties with reading and writing.

The presiding judge became suspicious and filed a private complaint with the police to investigate Lokare's academic record. The judge noted that despite Lokare's high marks, 623 out of 625, he struggled to read or write in Kannada, English, or Hindi, casting doubt on the legitimacy of his academic achievements.

The FIR, filed on April 26, highlighted that Lokare had seemingly jumped from seventh standard directly to the tenth standard exam, achieving near-perfect scores. This discrepancy prompted the judge to call for a thorough investigation, expressing concern that fraudulent academic records undermine the efforts of genuinely meritorious students.

The judge also requested that the police compare Lokare's handwriting with that of the class 10 exam answer sheets to verify the authenticity of his examination results.

Lokare, meanwhile, defended his record, stating that he took the class 10 exams as a private candidate during the 2017-18 academic year at an institution in Bagalkot district. He claimed the exams were conducted by the Delhi Education Board.