The Hindu : National : NASA denies holding test

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 24, 2005

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National

NASA denies holding test

NEW DELHI, FEB. 23. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) of the United States today denied the existence of any test such as the "International Scientist Discovery Examination," which Saurabh Singh (17) of Ballia in Uttar Pradesh said he had topped.

The widely publicised reports Saurabh topping the test had also claimed that the President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, had also appeared for the examination long back and stood seventh.

The claim ran into a controversy when NASA asserted that it never held such a test on a day when the Mr. Kalam met Saurabh. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, cancelled his appointment with the boy at the last moment.

"I have not been able to confirm that such an examination exists. I have checked all appropriate offices of NASA and based on our investigation, it can be said that it [examination] does not exist," the NASA spokesperson, Debia Rahn, told PTI over phone from Washington.

Mr. Kalam's Press Secretary, S. M. Khan, said "the President had never appeared in any such examination of any foreign country."

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, V. K. Mittal, said the Ballia District Magistrate has collected all relevant documents from Saurabh on the basis of which he has made the claim and these would be studied. — PTI

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