Bhubaneswar, September 04, (Odisha.in) While tampering of one mark-list in Orissa Board of Secondary Education compelled Minister for School and Mass Education, Bishnu Charan Das to resign, the authorities of Utkal University were allegedly trying to hush up massive mark-list tampering scam.
Instead of bringing the matter to the notice of the Government and ordering probe by independent agency like the crime branch or the vigilance department, university authority has so far not taken any step to bring the “mischievous” elements involved in such scam to the book.
On the other hand a three member sub-committee was appointed by the examination committee to inquire into the fraudulent activities and tampering of the marks of some specific candidates, allegedly with the motive to hush up such an unprecedented scam that has tarnished the reputation of state’s oldest university.
After the results of +3 Final Degree Examinations, 2007 was published on 27.06.2007 and was hoisted in the website; some unidentified persons lodged complaints over telephone to Dr. P.K. Kar, the then Controller of Examination relating to tampering of marks.
This prompted the Examination Committee to appoint a three-member Sub Committee comprising of Sailabala Senapati, Principal, K.N. Women’s College, Bhubaneswar, (Chairman) A.P. Sarana, Principal Talcher College, both members of the Syndicate of the University andP.C. Acharya, Controller of Examinations as Convener.
The terms of reference were to enquire into the alleged irregularities committed in publication of +3 Final Degree result, 2007 and to suggest reform measures to be undertaken to strengthen the examination system of the University.
Strangely no reference was made for suggesting actions against the persons involved in such criminal activities like tampering of marks, ignoring of guide lines etc.
Major irregularities committed were allegedly at chief examiner and zonal level.
There were cases of papers have been valued and posting has not been made in mark foils; duplication of mark foils, mismatch of subjects in which examinees appeared and that intimated by the college in the CNR, corrections made in the mark foil without authentication and discrepancies in the mark foil submitted to the chief examiner and the computer cell.
This is evident from the documents available with Odisha.in. According to the documents while Roll No. 117U4009 was awarded only 05 number in English Paper-II, the tampered mark shows 25.
Similarly Roll No. 106A04050 who had originally secured only 17 in English Paper-II was shown as being rewarded with 47, Roll No. 106A05054 who had originally got 19 marks in the said paper was shown as getting 49 in the tampered mark sheet.
At the Vyasanagar College Zonal valuation center Roll No. 227C04004, 227C0024 and 228C04038 who had secured zeroes in Mathematics Paper-I were each awarded with 60 after tampering of the marks by some vested interest.
Most of such marks were tampered at the zonal center at the geography department of Utkal University, the documents show.
Investigation by Odisha.in revealed that instead of appointing the head of the department of geography or one of the senior teachers as per his suggestions, a junior staff of the geography department was appointed as the Zonal Supervisor for reasons best known to the University authorities.
The vested interests in the examination section as well as in the university office ignored the guide line for zonal valuation approved by the then administrator Arun Kumar Samantaray on 01.05. 2004 and appointed zone supervisors allegedly with ulterior motive to show favors to some examinees against financial or material gains.
This has been done although the guide lines is very specific about appointment of zone supervisors and says, “Every zone shall be headed by a zone supervisor, who shall be the Principal of the college/ head of the P.G. teaching department.
Incase the principal/head is unable to act as the zone supervisor a senior teacher of a senior teacher of the college/ department shall be appointed as the Supervisor on the recommendation of the principal/ head.
Despite such clear guide lines, many zone supervisors were arbitrarily appointed ignoring the guide lines.
Instead of appointing the principals or head of the university teaching departments or the senior most teachers in consultation with the principals or head of the teaching departments, zone supervisors were appointed at the alleged wish of the then controller of examinations and other influential officials of the university.
Insiders say these were only tips of the iceberg. Probe by any independent agency can reveal large scale tampering.
Though such large scale mark scam is a fit case for probe by the crime branch or the vigilance department , so far neither the University authorities nor the higher education department of the State Government nor Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have taken any action against persons involved in such criminal activities .
Odisha.in