Tutorials buy, borrow or steal IIT toppers? success

Updated on: Thursday, June 02, 2011

For the painfully shy Prudhvitej Immadi, cracking the competitive IIT entrance test has had one downside. About two years ago, a coaching class spammed its notes to Prudhvitej – the IIT-JEE 2011 topper who, at 16 years, is perhaps the youngest to wear the crown – and now it proudly takes credit for his success. The private academy, popular for training medical aspirants, will draw on Prudhvitej’s own accomplishment and cash in on the large enrollments it will get for the ensuing year.

“When I was in class XI, this coaching class had sent some notes to me free of cost. I don’t know why they sent those booklets. Neither did I contact them, nor have they ever spoken to me. Just because they sent these notes, they registered me as a student,” said Prudhvitej. Since the results were declared, many who secured top ranks have been shocked to find their names linked with tutorials they never attended. A long line of politicians, touts and coaching academies have been badgering toppers – “please appear in this ad”, “please be the chief guest”, “kindly endorse our product.”

‘Tutorials offered me two lakhs to lend my name’

Kandarp Khandwala is another furious JEE topper. The 13th ranker said his name and photograph have been used by an all-India tutorial famous for its test series whereas Khandwala attended a Mumbai-based class for two years. “I bought the rankers’ study material from this coaching class. But they have advertised that I was their classroom student. For a lot of other students too, this class has clubbed their ‘non-classroom programme’ toppers with their ‘classroom programme’ toppers,” said Khandwala.

“I did not take any additional help. I did not go to a coaching class. My father prepared me for JEE. But I received calls from about eight tutorials wanting me to fill feedback forms for which they would offer about Rs 2 lakh. They were, in fact in fact still are, trying to buy my rank, just because I am in the top 100,” said a student who did not want to be named. It is immediately after the JEE results that coaching classes open admission counters. Penetrating into the thickly competitive JEE coaching business and attracting bright students doesn’t come easy. Everyone goes by previous results and, hence, the grand outcome or the number of toppers one churns out matters a lot.

“The stakes are really high. There are touts who will get you toppers if you are ready to pay a price. There are several classes which are ready to buy top rankers,” said Pravin Tyagi, owner of a city-based class. “The practice is unethical and there was a time when we were considering legal action against some coaching institutes in the north that were using our students’ names and photos and taking credit for their ranks,” said Ponguru Narayana, proprietor of an AP-based coaching institute.

The clash of coaching classes has had another fallout. As soon as the results are out, coaching classes order their rankers to march up to their headquarters. “The media, including TV channels, local cable operators are all called to our office so everyone knows who trained the toppers,” added Narayana. This is followed by a party. All day long, top rankers are almost held in captivity. For those wanting to spend time at home, celebrating their success quietly with their family, they have to find another day.

Tutorials buy, borrow or steal IIT toppers? success

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