RTI data on extra students wrong

‘RTI data on ‘extra’ students wrong’

Admission Process Was Fair, Claims Anna Univ

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:

As news broke on Tuesday about extra students admitted to the second year at College of Engineering, Guindy, based on a RTI reply, Anna University responded by stating that the public information officer had committed a ‘mistake’ by providing incorrect data on the matter.

To a query on the number of students admitted to CEG in 2017, dean T V Geetha, the public information officer, provided data pertaining only to those admitted through single window counselling and did not include names of students admitted through other quotas, the varsity said.

“A total of 118 students were admitted under Children of Indian Workers in Gulf countries (CIWGC), Non-Resident Indians (NRI) and Foreign Nationals (FN) categories and 46 were admitted under industrial-consortium quota,” vicechancellor M K Surappa told reporters. Also, 1195 were admitted through single window counselling. Together, 1,359 students joined first-year BE/B Tech in CEG last year; 249 of them withdrew due to various reasons, said Geetha. Higher education secretary Sunil Paliwal has promised action against the dean for incorrect data to an RTI query.

“Every student pursuing the third semester attended classes last year and there was no illegality in the admission process,” Surappa added, referring to a TOIreport based on the RTI reply and documents provided by insiders.

He also denied reports pertaining to discrepancies in admissions to mining engineering and electronics and communication engineering courses. Of the 216 sanctioned seats in ECE, 197 were filled (including 158 via counselling and 39 in other categories).

Responding to other questions about the ongoing probe against G V Uma, the former controller of examinations under suspension for her involvement in a re-evaluation scam, Paliwal said they had analysed answer scripts pertaining to the Chennai zone and found that re-evaluators were at fault in 76 instances and that scripts from other zones were under analysis. “Also, the convener committee managed to submit evidence in connection with another irregularity committed by Uma in awarding contracts to print empty marksheets,” he said.

Referring to TOI report on I Transcript, the online transcription provider, coming under scanner, Paliwal said the university was coming up with an in-built portal to provide transcription services online and that the contract awarded to the private firm would be scrapped after this.

He clarified that he had not applied for central deputation and wished to continue service in the state where he served for 24 years.