The authorities at the University of Calicut suspect a foul play behind the recent missing of 200 answer scripts of first semester B.Com exams (2020 batch).
Official sources told The Hindu that the incident had happened within the Pareeksha Bhavan, the department dealing with exams at the university. Of the 19 bundles of answer scripts that reached the section, only 18 were reportedly entered in the register. It is suspected to be a handiwork of either an individual or a group of people who may want to “tarnish the image of the university.” It could be a case of theft. One of the Syndicate members said that that was why a Crime Branch probe was sought into the whole episode. The Vice Chancellor is expected to send a request to the Home Secretary soon. Along with this, explanation will be sought from the Deputy Registrars in charge of the sections concerned.
Syndicate members aligned with the United Democratic Front (UDF), however, see a larger plot behind such incidents. P. Rasheed Ahammed, one of them, sought a detailed probe to nab the culprits. He alleged that the issue of missing answer scripts of the second semester exams of the 2019 batch was a case in point.
More recently, the sixth semester answer scripts of B.Sc (Psychology) students at a self-financing college were found in a dust bin. They were noticed during a search for the missing answer scripts of the 2020 batch. Mr. Ahammed alleged that the university Syndicate sub-committee that was set up to investigate if deliberate efforts were made to delay the results of exams was yet to meet. No official report has been given so far, he added. The panel was instituted in February this year.
However, G. Rijulal, chairperson, Syndicate standing committee on exams, said the inquiry panel had suggested that the staff at the Pareeksha Bhavan and exam evaluation chairpersons be more vigilant while handling answer scripts. He claimed that the missing of answer scripts of the 2020 batch and the case of the 2019 batch were different issues.
