The probe into the question paper leak of an examination conducted by the A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) gathered momentum with the seizure of 28 mobile phones that were allegedly sneaked into the examination halls.
The mobile phones were confiscated by the managements of four of the five colleges that had reported malpractice during the conduct of a third semester BTech supplementary examination on ‘Linear Algebra and Complex Analysis’ on October 23.
The mobile phones were apparently used to circulate photos of the question paper on WhatsApp groups that would soon generate the answers to the questions. Despite a similar modus operandi , the authorities were yet to conclude if the malpractice was operated by the same racket.
The incidents were reported from a government-controlled self-financing college, an aided college and three private institutions, where students from other colleges had also appeared for the paper. With the authorities being unable to ascertain whether the fraudulent acts were confined to the five colleges, the examination had been cancelled with a fresh one being scheduled for November 5.
As part of enforcing measures to prevent such malpractice during examinations, Vice Chancellor M.S. Rajasree convened a meeting of college principals and examination superintendents on Tuesday.
Indicating the possibility of a planned strategy, the erring students pursued various ploys to mislead invigilators. College officials, who participated in a hearing conducted by the Syndicate examination subcommittee chaired by Pro Vice Chancellor S. Ayoob, said some students kept a mobile phone outside the examination hall while entering with another.
Preliminary inquiry found that multiple WhatsApp groups were formed for the same subject with some even sharing the answers for 75 marks. Posing technical hurdles to the investigation, college officials claimed that many of the seized mobile phones were currently ‘locked’, suggesting that they could have been blocked using duplicate SIM cards. WhatsApp accounts have also been seemingly migrated to other mobile phones.
The principals have been tasked with convening disciplinary committee meetings and submitting reports of the action adopted within five days. The university’s examination rules provided for debarring those who enter examination halls with mobile phones for the particular paper for the next three consecutive terms.
