Fake notes stump education board's note machine

Having a machine to detect fake notes is not helping the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE). Though the loss from the dud notes is a mere Rs 2000 to Rs 3000 in a year, it is the embarrassment at being duped that is hurting the MSB-SHSE officials.

The machine didn't beep when a fake note was passed through it on Friday. Pic/ Kranti Vibhute

In the most recent case, an unidentified student, who sought a duplicate copy of his answer sheet passed off a fake Rs 1,000 note as fee. The note was discovered by the board officials while distributing the photocopies to several students who had asked for them and was discovered because it had a slightly different colour(see picture).

An official told SUNDAY MiD DAY that every day several students submit fees between Rs 300 and Rs 500 to request duplicate copies of mark sheets, answer sheets or certificates, enriching the board's coffers by at least Rs 50,000 by the end of the day. "Sometimes if there is a special request, where the cost exceeds Rs 500, we ask for a demand draft from the student," said an official.

When contacted, Laxmikant Pandey, chairman of MSBSHSE, Mumbai Division, said, "Sometimes the machine doesn't beep even if a note is not genuine. So we can't catch the culprit."

u00a0An official, who collects the money from students, said, "We detect 10 to 15 fake notes and return them to the students."u00a0To see how the machine detects fake Rs 1,000 notes, log on to www.mid-day.com.