Guwahati, March 5: The Gauhati High Court has called for the case diary related to case No. 55/2025, registered against USTM Chancellor Mahbabul Hoque, concerning an alleged exam scam at Central Public School, Patharkandi. The court will review the case diary on March 11 before delivering its verdict on Hoque’s bail plea.
Justice Parthivjyoti Saikia, presiding over a single-judge bench, heard arguments on the bail petition and directed the police to present the case diary for examination.
Notably, Hoque had secured bail on March 3 in a separate but related case (Case No. 54/2025), also registered at Patharkandi Police Station.
Hoque was arrested on February 22 following serious allegations made by 274 students appearing for the Class 12 CBSE Physics exam at Central Public School, Patharkandi. The institution is run by the ERD Foundation, which is affiliated with USTM.
Of the 274 students, only 60 were local, while the remaining 214 were allegedly enrolled at Central Public School but had never attended classes there. Instead, under USTM’s “Vision 50 Programme,” these students had been receiving coaching at USTM’s Guwahati campus.
The controversy erupted on exam day when the 214 students, believing they were promised assistance during the exam, reportedly created a law-and-order situation. Some claimed they were unaware of their enrollment in Central Public School, assuming they were exclusively USTM students.
Further allegations suggest that while the invigilators and faculty members helped 45 local students use unfair means during the exam, the 214 others were left to fend for themselves. Reports also surfaced that USTM authorities allegedly collected ₹5 lakh from each of the 45 students in exchange for ensuring they cleared the paper.
As the head of USTM, Hoque has been accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme, deceiving students with false promises, and enabling academic malpractice.
Following his arrest, he was presented before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sribhumi. The case continues to unfold, with the High Court’s upcoming decision on March 11 set to determine his fate.
