With the increasing number of people aiming to make it to foreign shores, applicants from Gujarat are trying their best to clear the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) made mandatory by many countries. But, on Sunday, a person was caught appearing in the IELTS exam on behalf of the actual candidate at a test centre here.

One Yogesh Mane, a resident of Patan, was found to have swapped his identity with an IELTS applicant identified as Minesh Patel. Mane, a school teacher was caught by the Sayajigunj police, and investigations revealed that he was appearing in the exam on behalf of Patel.

Mane, who was arrested under charges of cheating, was released on bail on Monday.

Zaver Sisodia, the examiner at the test, said: “Usually, such incidents do not take place as the identification of the applicant is tallied with the original documents. The person was caught even before he could appear in the exam. He was caught with the original passport and other documents belonging to Patel.”

This is first time such an incident has taken place in Gujarat, Sisodia added.