Vinod Tawde orders probe after Engineering students stripped before exam

Mumbai: State education minister Vinod Tawde has ordered an inquiry into an incident at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) Pune’s Vishwa-shanti Gurukul where female candidates were allegedly asked to remove their clothes in the name of frisking before the examination.

Mr Tawde has ordered an inquiry into the objectionable occurrence. Mr Tawde on Monday told a news agency, “The board does not give any such orders to any college or institute. The new committee will look into the matter and we are also planning to change the exam centre.”

The incident occurred during the institute’s engineering examinations between February 21 and February 28. A FIR has been registered with the Pune police against MIT guards by several parents. There was an outburst among parents in the wake of the episode.

The police has filed a case against two female guards of the institute under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. As per Maharashtra board guidelines, female candidates can be frisked only by female police constables.