State to stop outsourcing printing answer scripts of 14 universities

The state government is making efforts to ensure that the answer scripts of the 14 state universities are printed by the Directorate of Stationery and Printing, in a bid to end outsourcing, currently being practised.

Sources in the Higher Education department revealed that while the Salem-based Cooperative Printing Press would do the job for the two universities, including the Periyar University, the department of Stationery and Printing would, in course of time, take over that of the other universities. “To begin with, they did a fairly good job of printing answer scripts for Anna Technical University. They also print the answer scripts for the School Education department’s government examinations,” sources added.

However, some state universities have expressed reservations about the ability of the department to print answer scripts, given the fact that it involves confidentiality.

A meeting in this connection, convened by the Directorate in Chennai, recently saw reservations being expressed on this issue.

A source said, “Presently, we pay Rs 20 per answer script – the student pays exam fees of Rs 68 per subject, to a Chennai-based company, which undertakes all work, including transporting the completed answer scripts. The Rs 20 charge includes all answer script-related work, right till the student gets the provisional and degree certificates.

Therefore, printing is so sacrosanct that in no way can an outsider trace a specific student’s answer script.”

Elaborating further, the source added, “The completed work is tested thrice and then the mark lists are sent in a CD to each university’s Vice-Chancellor, who publishes the results on the announced date.

There have been no slipups on this issue till date, as we ourselves do not know the various norms introduced in the script, in order to ensure security.

We do not know if the same confidentiality will be possible in a government-run institution.” A senior professor from a reputed state university near Chennai told DT Next, “We will try out the new venture if necessary, but will revert to the existing system if there are any issues. On no account can students confidentiality be compromised.”