Kerala Governor P. Sadasivam on July 16 ordered Kerala University (KU) Vice-Chancellor to urgently file a report on the seizure of answer sheets from the house of Student Federation of India (SFI) leader Shivarenjith on July 14.
The Cantonment police had stumbled upon the answer books, purportedly validated by the KU, when they searched the house of Shivarenjith.
The police had named the undergraduate as the prime suspect in the near-fatal stabbing of college mate and SFI activist Akhil during class hours at University College here on July 12.
The knife attack had prompted spontaneous student protests against the SFI leadership and opened a public debate on criminalisation of college campuses in Kerala.
Investigators had also found a seal of the Director of Physical Education, KU, from Shivarenjith’s room.
In a tweet, the Kerala Raj Bhavan said that the Governor had “sought an urgent report from the Vice-Chancellor, University of Kerala, on the reported seizure of bundles of University answer sheets and seal of director, Physical Education, from the house of an accused in the murder attempt case in University College, Thiruvananthapuram”.
The seizure of 83 answer book bundles from the SFI’s leaders home in Attukal closely followed by the discovery of more sheaves of answer sheets from the University College union room controlled by the SFI campus unit had raised serious questions about the inviolability of examinations held at the institution.
Widespread exam malpractices
The Governor’s move also comes against the backdrop of public statements from former college principals who claimed they had repeatedly reported widespread examination malpractices in University College by SFI leaders to the KU, but no avail.
They had alleged that politically partisan teachers, lack of a robust parent teacher’s association, absence of rival student outfits and a delinquent subculture that demanded total deference from students to the SFI had rendered faculty members and invigilators helpless in the face of such brazen wrongdoings.
Investigators said several of the answer sheets were seen filled while the bulk were blank ones. They said college authorities were required to keep leftover answer sheets in safe custody after examinations. Or they had to return them to the university to prevent misuse.
‘Active connivance’
The police said the illegal diversion of answer sheets to politically influential SFI leaders pointed to active connivance on the part of college insiders.
They said the Physical Education Director’s seal was possibly forged to fabricate sports certificates to get bonus marks in varsity and Public Service Commission examinations.
The police were conducting a secret enquiry to review how three SFI leaders from the college had made it to the top of the police constable rank list. An official said at least one of them had got extra marks in the PSC examination on the ground that he was a State-level archer.
