The divisional board had initiated inquiries into the irregularities and malpractices committed by Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Shantiniketan High School at Malad (west), Mount Mary High School and Carmel High School, both at Bhayander. Incidentally, all four schools are recognised by the board.

The board had issued show cause notices on July 9 to 233 students who had appeared for the board exams through these schools. The inquiry had begun on Saturday. The statements of students from the remaining schools shall be recorded later this week, board officials said.

``We will compare the students' statementswith our records, school records and other documents with us. Any discrepancy or false information will reveal the fault of the students,'' said Arvind Dixit, secretary of Mumbai divisional board.

The students from Swami Dayanand Saraswati who had failed to show up for recording of statements with the inquiry team will be given two more opportunities to reply to the board's notices, failing which action will be initiated against them, an inquiry officer stated. The students found guilty will be debarred from appearing for the SSC exam for at least a year.

``The investigations against the schools will begin on Wednesday and the guilty schools will lose their index numbers and recognition by the board. We may also consider police action against the guilty school managements,'' Dixit added.

Cancellation of index number will mean that the school will no longer be authorised to give admissions to students for Standard X while derecognition implies termination of government grants and aid. According to Dixit,the police action could be initiated under several counts including forgery, fraud and deceiving the students and misleading the board.

The investigations were launched following directions by the Bombay High Court to look into allegations of irregularities by the four school managements and students' role in the malpractice. The board officials had claimed that Shantiniketan High School had forged documents of at least 39 students to make them eligible to take the exmanation while Mount Mary and Carmel had together cleared the applications of over 85 ineligible students.