“Super-30” fraud, IIT-G students file case

The Gauhati High Court on Friday issued a notice to Anand Kumar, founder of the educational programme 'Super 30', to reply to a PIL filed by four students of IIT-Guwahati, who claimed that Super 30 was a fraud and publicity stunt.

The high court also issued a notice to former Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) Abhiyanand who had co-founded 'Super 30' in 2002.

A division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice (acting) Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Ajit Borthakur, issued the notice to Anand Kumar and directed him to reply to the allegations made in the PIL.

Senior advocate Ashok Saraf, appearing for the four IIT students, submitted before the court that: "Because of the wrong projection given by Anand Kumar each year a large number of students from the Northeast and other parts of the country approach him with full faith and hope that Anand Kumar, who seems to be an IIT Baba, will help them in qualifying the IIT entrance exam.

"But after reaching there, Anand Kumar make the students take admission in his coaching institute, namely Ramanujam School of Mathematics, by charging Rs 33,000 per student in the name of teaching them," Saraf said.

Amit Goyal, who is the advocate-on-record for the petitioners, said it is mentioned in the PIL that "Most of the time, Anand Kumar travels to different places in the country and outside India. He does not devote sufficient time to the IIT aspirants who took admission in Ramanujam School of Mathematics".

"On being inquired by the four IIT-G students it is revealed that after 2008, Anand Kumar is not running any so-called 'Super 30' classes. Whenever IIT entrance exam results are announced, Anand Kumar appears before media with some of the students of Ramanujam School of Mathematics and other students claiming that they are Super 30 students and have qualified in the IIT entrance exam," Goyal said.

Saraf submitted before the court that the false propaganda created by Anand Kumar is not only cheating the IIT aspirants and their guardians but also others.

"Wrong information has been uploaded by Wikipedia in its website in an unedited version and the same is also published by a national newspaper and it is easily available in the social media," Goyal said.

According to the petition, this year too, Anand Kumar had claimed that 26 out of 30 students from his 'Super 30' group had cleared the IIT entrance exam. "But till now, he has not disclosed the names of the 26 students who had qualified for the IIT entrance," he said.

After hearing the petitioners, the high court issued the notice to Anand Kumar and Abhiyanand. The matter will be taken up by the high court again after eight weeks for further orders