Anna University cancels engineering college's affiliation over exam fraud

Chennai's Anna University is set to come down heavily on colleges where it as found allegations of malpractice during examinations. The University has cancelled the affiliation of Chendhuran College of Engineering and Technology, Pudukkottai, due to exam fraud, a report said. 

According to Times of India, the university found the college to be involved in mass impersonation during semester examinations, following which the office of the Controller of Examinations recommended cancellation of its affiliation.

The college allegedly allowed a proxy to sit for a student during the semester examinations which began on November 1, the report said. The university found that the son of the owner of the college had used a proxy to write his exams, which led the Anna University’s decision-making body to take the extreme decision.

"The college owner's son used a proxy candidate to write his semester exams. The university syndicate (topmost decision making body) withdrew affiliation in its previous meeting," a senior official from the university said. 

This is not the first time that Anna University has found colleges involved in exam malpractices. In 2017, it had found three colleges being involved in fraudulent examination practices. After that, the university had made it mandatory for colleges to have at least 50% of invigilators from other colleges.

In an affidavit, the university had told the Madras High Court that around 1,400 students have been caught for malpractice during examinations in the last year alone.

Anna University was in the middle of a huge controversy a few months ago after the Tamil Nadu Police unearthed a 'cash-for-marks' racket. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), the anti-corruption wing of Tamil Nadu police, had on August 2 booked 10 professors, including former controller of examinations GV Uma. 

They have been accused of "receiving money" from some engineering students and giving them extra marks during re-evaluation. The university had said in its affidavit in the High Court that after the re-evaluation scam, the students have been instructed to strike out blank pages in the answer sheets before submitting it for evaluation.  Examiners were also given answer keys to aid in the marking of answer papers.

Meanwhile, Anna University has also cancelled the examinations scheduled on Thursday as Cyclone Gaja is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu today. The university said it will announce new dates later. 

The cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban in Tamil Nadu on Thursday evening with a wind speed of up to 100 kmph, bringing heavy rainfall to the southern state.