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Distance Education cheats: University of Madras unearths major exam scam

An inquiry by the university has revealed that students were given blank answer sheets by agents to write answers.

Chennai: Uncovering a major exam scam at the Institute of Distance Education, the University of Madras has withheld the results of over 500 candidates from Tamil Nadu who wrote exams from the centres outside the state.

An inquiry by the university has revealed that students were given blank answer sheets by agents to write answers. To clear the exam they fixed Rs 15,000 per paper. Some touts who had joined hands with study centres from Mumbai, Hyderabad, Mysore and Mallapam in Kerala had been running this racket for several years. But for some complaints from disgruntled students the scam would not have come out.

A few months ago the university had received unanimous letters levelling allegations that candidates from Chennai were writing exams in Mumbai to clear their arrears. The letters also alleged that candidates were paying money to agents and that some staff members were also involved in the racket.

Following the letters, officials from Controller of Examinations verified the answer sheets of December 2016 exam. “Why candidates from Chennai or Tiruvallur have to go to all the way to Mumbai to write their exams?” was a troubling question that prompted the officials to start a full-fledged inquiry.

Some answer sheets had extraordinarily beautiful handwriting with no errors. This raised suspicion.

“We found same handwriting in many papers. One candidate had over 10 different handwritings for his arrear papers”, a source said adding that it strengthened suspicion.

Many of these candidates who had bulk arrears had cleared almost all the papers in one go. “Some candidates who had more than 15 arrears cleared 14 or 15 papers at one go, which is very difficult for even regular students”, the source disclosed.

Following the investigation, the Controller of Examinations had withheld the results of 500 candidates from Chennai and adjoining districts.

In connection with the scam, the university officials also caught an ex-temporary staff in IDE premises from whom they recovered register numbers and contact numbers of students.

Sources in the university said, after conducting enquiry with the students, the COE has released results of 50 candidates who gave credible reasons for writing exam in outside the state.

Madras University Vice-Chancellor S. Duraisamy, who took charge in May, formed an inquiry committee immediately after the matter was brought to his knowledge. “I have taken serious action and constituted an inquiry committee.

The committee is about to conclude its inquiry. We will place the inquiry report in Syndicate meeting and take the appropriate action”, Mr Duraisamy told DC
“We have withheld the recognition for four exam centres which were involved in the malpractices. We are making the system foolproof”, the VC reiterated.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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