Dhruvi Modi

The latest Anna University scam where four professors- former additional controller of examinations (ACOE) S. Srinivasalu, and deputy controllers of examinations, K. Selvamani, K. Kulothungan, and Pugazhendi Sugumaran- have been suspended for being part of the marks-for-money scam – charging Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 1 lakh for manipulating the answer scripts to make the students pass with maximum marks, depending on the number of arrears to be cleared by the student.

This issue came into light after a number of anonymous complaints were filed against the teachers regarding the same, because students who had over 20 arrear examinations to clear had passed them all with flying colours in one go. A three-member committee was set up to investigate into the matter, and after research, it was found that 60 percent of the students involved in this scam were Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).

The anonymous petitioners mentioned in their complaint that an NRI had cleared 25 papers in the April 2017 semester examinations in one go. The probe panel, after further inquiry, found that over 500 answer scripts was manipulated from the examinations in April and November 2017, because the handwriting in the papers did not match, and neither did the colour of the tear-off-slips. Some professors have also stated that faculty members were approached to make sure that NRI students failed so that the professors involved in the scam could target them.  

In a report, an inquiry committee member was quoted saying, “The answer scripts have been manipulated (in) all possible manner. When the committee expanded the scope of the inquiry to other suspicious cases in which students cleared many papers in one or two attempts, they found that the same pattern existed in all those papers.

“During the preliminary inquiry, the committee found malpractices in more than 500 answer scripts. The scam could have happened for many years. But, the answer scripts before April 2017 were disposed of by the officials involved in the scam.”  

After the extent of the scam was exposed, a nine-member committee was appointed to assist with the inquiry. Another senior official was quoted saying that the amount was exchanged in dollars, and that the officials from the centre of International Affairs should also be probed. He also said that due to the corrupt administration of one of the previous vice-chancellors, the whole system had started to corrupt, and the university needs to be restored to normalcy.