Unregistered students pull off heist at Madras University exams; committee to probe scam

The University of Madras will constitute an inquiry committee on December 23 to probe into an alleged scam where people not registered with the varsity had written the degree examinations. 

The university syndicate will meet today and an inquiry committee will be subsequently constituted, sources said. An initial inquiry conducted has revealed that 116 people, who were not registered as students with the Institute of Distance Education, had taken the examination and they were about to receive the degrees. 

It may be recollected that the University Grants Commission (UGC) had in 2019 allowed all those who had registered since 1980-81 to complete their course by writing the arrear examinations. The candidates would be awarded degrees or diplomas based on the examination they have taken and the number of papers cleared. The candidates were allowed to take the examinations twice, in December 2019 and in May 2020. These were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequently, candidates were allowed to write the examinations from their homes.

The online collection of exam fee proved to be the varsity's Achilles heel in this matter, as several dubious candidates allegedly signed up for the exam by clearing the dues. Exam registration numbers were generated for them as well.

READ ALSO : Madras University protest: Archaeology students miffed after profs 'unfairly' failed them and gave them results over a phone call

University officials believe that earlier, the study centres had manually registered the candidates and those only who were registered were able to pay the examination fees. With the exams being conducted online, it became easy for study centres to include unregistered candidates.

Madras University Controller of Examination, K Pandian said, "There were anomalies when we started preparing the degree certificates and this seems to be the fault of the study centres. They enroll students and provide numbers."