Money-for-marks scam: Students with arrears also benefited

Sources from Anna University on Monday said that the committee, which is coordinating with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) officials, had earlier pointed to the scam pertaining only to revaluation of answer sheets. “However, students, who took arrear exams, also benefited by getting extra marks for money,” a committee member told DT Next on condition of anonymity.  

A senior university staff member said that the latest irregularity came to light after authorities  verified arrears answer sheets. 

The staff member said more than 10,000 students, who had written arrears exams for various courses, might have benefited from the scam. However, the investigation team is yet to come up with the exact amount of money involved in the latest malpractice.

A senior professor said students were given a maximum of seven years to clear their arrears and complete their degree. However, Anna University, in a special case, had allowed students, who joined in 2010 and earlier, to take up arrear exams in 2018.

According to him, about 40,000 students, who joined in 2010 and earlier, were in the arrears list. “Even some students with arrears in 2000 had written the exams,” he added.

In addition, the investigation team also suspects that a 2001-pass out had allegedly acted as coordinator between candidates and university faculties for favouritisms.

Accordingly, some faculties had reported to the committee that the students would often be seen in the former Controller of Examination and professor GV Uma’s office. She is prime accused in the scam. The committee is trying to submit its report to Vice Chancellor MK Surappa by next week.

Though DAVC is conducting an independent probe, the university’s investigating committee is in the process of checking all the papers, including answer sheets from 2000, sources added.