Chennai: The revaluation scam unearthed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption at Anna University was going on for several years and top officials even up to the rank of vice-chancellors were involved in the scam, according to professors from the university.
“Students with as many as 17 arrears have cleared them at one go. Despite several inquiry committees were constituted, the university did not take any fruitful action to check the corruption,” they alleged.
To get the top rank in the university’s ranking, several colleges also allegedly bribed the authorities. DVAC after conducting searches registered a case against former Controller of Examinations of the university G.V. Uma and nine others for allegedly taking the bribe to boost the students’ marks in revaluation.
The FIR revealed that 3,02,380 students have applied for revaluation in April/May 2017 out of which 73,733 students have passed and 16,636 students improved their marks in the process.
Professor G.V. Uma, who was controller of examinations (CoE) post from 2015 to 2018, had conspired with assistant professor P.Vijayakumar (former zone co-ordinator) and R.Sivakumar (former zonal officer) both from University College of Engineering, Tindivanam and demanded Rs.10,000 from each student to boost their marks by altering marks, the FIR alleged.
It further alleged they destroyed maximum answer scripts for whom they awarded the enhanced marks in the revaluation during August 2017 at Tindivanam.
The nexus between the controller of examinations office and affiliated colleges paved way for manipulations in the answer scripts.
“On the previous occasion in 2011-12, three deputy controllers of examinations were suspended in connection with the scam. But, the revaluation racket went unchecked with the knowledge of two previous vice-chancellors of the university,” professors alleged.
In the present case, the controller of examinations herself allegedly involved in the racket. “The entire process of examination from printing the question paper to disposing of the answer scripts was corrupted. Several crores of rupees were swindled by the university officials,” a principal alleged.
Anna University has debarred 1,070 faculty members from valuation following variation in marks in answer scripts of students who appeared for April/May 2017 exams.
“Some of the faculty members who did not cooperate with the officials were also debarred by the university,” officials added. “We have seized several crores of worth documents from the residence of G.V. Uma. It seems previous vice-chancellors of the university were also involved in the scam,” an investigating officer said.
