Answer sheets theft at MU: Probe finds 13 staff negligent
Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com
Chennai:29.12.2018
A committee headed by former DGP K Ramanujam, which is looking into the theft of close to 30,000 answer scripts from the University of Madras’ Chepauk campus, has found 13 staff to be guilty of negligence.
The final report of the committee, which runs into more than 150 pages in two volumes, has been submitted to the university. An executive summary of the report was read out by university vicechancellor P Duraisamy at Friday’s syndicate meeting.
Sources said the employees under scanner include security guards and officials in the ranks of additional controller of exams and deputy registrars. Duraisamy told TOI the report would be studied and charges for departmental action would be framed, if necessary.
In the first week of March, more than 100 boxes containing 300 answer scripts each of exams of Institute of Distance Education (IDE) went missing from the university centenary auditorium.
Preliminary reports said a gang that came in a truck had taken away the papers. One of the suspected motives was removal of evidence of a scam in IDE exams held in November and December 2016 at centres in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Mysore.
University sources said the Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of investigation by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai police. The committee has suggested measures to prevent repeat of such scams and to improve the system.
For instance, the auditorium where the papers were stored was not covered by CCTV cameras despite it being a place where guests like the President and governors came for functions. Also, the place does not have a record keeper or an official who is exclusively in-charge of the place, University sources said.
The theft did not affect the university’s separate investigation into the examination fraud, as 800 students were debarred following that probe, a university source said.
Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of probe by the crime branch
Siddharth.Prabhakar@timesgroup.com
Chennai:29.12.2018
A committee headed by former DGP K Ramanujam, which is looking into the theft of close to 30,000 answer scripts from the University of Madras’ Chepauk campus, has found 13 staff to be guilty of negligence.
The final report of the committee, which runs into more than 150 pages in two volumes, has been submitted to the university. An executive summary of the report was read out by university vicechancellor P Duraisamy at Friday’s syndicate meeting.
Sources said the employees under scanner include security guards and officials in the ranks of additional controller of exams and deputy registrars. Duraisamy told TOI the report would be studied and charges for departmental action would be framed, if necessary.
In the first week of March, more than 100 boxes containing 300 answer scripts each of exams of Institute of Distance Education (IDE) went missing from the university centenary auditorium.
Preliminary reports said a gang that came in a truck had taken away the papers. One of the suspected motives was removal of evidence of a scam in IDE exams held in November and December 2016 at centres in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Mysore.
University sources said the Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of investigation by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai police. The committee has suggested measures to prevent repeat of such scams and to improve the system.
For instance, the auditorium where the papers were stored was not covered by CCTV cameras despite it being a place where guests like the President and governors came for functions. Also, the place does not have a record keeper or an official who is exclusively in-charge of the place, University sources said.
The theft did not affect the university’s separate investigation into the examination fraud, as 800 students were debarred following that probe, a university source said.
Ramanujam committee has not pinpointed the accused, as it is the subject of probe by the crime branch
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