Engg exam scam: Most students were from Navi Mumbai institutes: V-C

Most of the students allegedly involved in the engineering answer sheet scam are from institutes in Navi Mumbai, Sanjay Deshmukh, vice-chancellor, University of Mumbai, said in a statement issued to the media on Thursday, adding that these students are from 20 colleges that were used as examination centres.

Most of the students allegedly involved in the engineering answer sheet scam are from institutes in Navi Mumbai, Sanjay Deshmukh, vice-chancellor, University of Mumbai, said in a statement issued to the media on Thursday, adding that these students are from 20 colleges that were used as examination centres.

University of Mumbai(HT Photo)

“We admit there has been a lapse of security. Our aim right now is to take all measures possible to avoid such instances in future. We have already started physically frisking and checking ID cards of employees, including those of senior officials, who enter or exit the Examination House,” said Deshmukh.

He said that at present, while one of the two buildings of the Examination House has 20 CCTV cameras, the second building, where the assessment finally takes, place has none. “We are finalising how many CCTVs will be needed and accordingly will begin work on installing the cameras. By frisking employees, we will cut down the chances of such instances by almost 80% to 90%,” he said.

When asked about the role of contractual employees involved in the scam, Deshmukh pointed at the ‘enormous deficit’ of non-teaching employees in MU. “Compared to the growing number of colleges affiliated to MU, barely eight new non-teaching staff posts have been approved by the government even though the work has increased two-fold. We have no option but to depend on temporary staff. I have already discussed this problem with the government ,” said Deshmukh.

To create a foolproof system, the university said it has also approached the commissioner of police, Mumbai, to form a security committee and review the system at MU. “This process could take about 6 to 8 weeks. We are hoping to get recommendations from the police on how to put in place a better security system,” said Deshmukh.

While at present the university is still reserving its stand on the punishment that will be meted out to students who will be found involved in the scam, the involvement of MU employees will be dealt with very seriously, said Deshmukh.

HT had recently reported about four MU employees who have been reinstated in the university even though they were found guilty of being involved in a mark sheet scam in May 2015 . “The lacunae lies in the fact that we have not been equipped enough to complete our inquiries within six months. But we will work towards bringing about appropriate changes, in order to avoid any such incident in the future,” said Deshmukh.