A nine-member technical expert committee constituted by the Tirap district administration in Arunachal Pradesh to probe into alleged defective laptops given to toppers of CBSE exams in the district has confirmed that the machines were faulty and old. As many as 18 meritorious students who performed well in Class X and XII exams conducted by CBSE this year were given free laptops by the education department in the district during a programme on June 20.

The laptops were given as part of the District Academic Toppers Award 2021-22 being implemented by the Directorate of Secondary Education (DSE). However, eight students returned their laptops alleging that the machines were old and could not be used due to technical malfunctions. They also alleged that the laptops showed severe signs of wear and tear, and scratches besides indecent videos stored in them with names of previous users.

Tirap Deputy Commissioner Hento Karga constituted an expert committee headed by a circle officer to probe into the matter. The state government has decided to replace the laptops with new ones. To avoid any kind of further embarrassment, the district administration has decided to thoroughly check the new machines before handing them to the students, Karga said.

Meanwhile, the education department has decided to blacklist the firm that supplied the laptops. An official of the department said the supplier had been selected after following the due tender process. The All Tirap Students’ Union (ATSU) on Monday, in a memorandum to the DDSE, demanded a thorough investigation against all officers involved in manipulating the district academic toppers award 2021-22.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)