The Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (APJAKTU) has decided to annul the exams for 460 final-year BTech and MBA students held in a private college in Greater Noida on Tuesday and Wednesday after the varsity found that students from the college were allegedly cheating while writing their answer papers. The varsity has also decided not to let the college serve as an examination centre for this session, and students from the college will now appear for the rest of the exams at a neighbouring college.
In wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, APJAKTU had decided to hold only final year/final semester exams for BTech (Bachelor of Technology) and MBA (Master of Business Administration) from September 8 to September 25 as per the -centre examination center system ( wherein affiliated colleges serve as the examination centre for its students). The university has annulled 20 exams (three back-to-back exams are conducted from 9am to 5pm for various streams) held on Tuesday for over 400 BTech students at ITS Engineering College and four exams for around 60 MBA students held on Wednesday.
The university said that it found out about instances of cheating when videos from the colleges’ examination centre purportedly showing students copying answers from their mobile phones came to the fore.
Vinay Kumar Pathak, vice-chancellor of the university, said controller of examination is investigating the matter.
{{/usCountry}}Vinay Kumar Pathak, vice-chancellor of the university, said controller of examination is investigating the matter.
{{/usCountry}}Prof Rajeev Kumar, controller of examinations, said. “We scheduled examinations and the final-year BTech and MBA students were asked to appear at their respective colleges. On Wednesday, someone shared a video of a Greater Noida-based examination centre, where the students were seen openly using mobile phones and cheating in the examination,” he said. He added that some students also cheated during the BTech exam on Tuesday.
Kumar said that the university prohibits the use of mobile phone in MBA and B.Tech examinations. “As per our initial probe into the matter, we found that about 460 students had appeared in the examination in two days. We have cancelled both the examinations and shifted the examination centre for the rest of the exams to a neighbouring college )GL Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management),” he said.
The university has not issued a schedule for re-conduct the examinations which were annulled. Over 756 technical colleges in the state are affiliated to APJAKTU which is organising examinations at 156 centres in Uttar Pradesh.
The controller of examination also said the university has formed a three-member committee to probe the matter further and fine the college management for lapses.
The executive director of ITS Engineering College did not reply to repeated calls and text messages asking for comment. According to sources, the college has reportedly served notices to eight observers and invigilators who were on examination duty on Tuesday and Wednesday.
As per the guidelines issued by the university for exams, as soon as any case of unfair means comes to notice, the invigilator shall bring it to the notice of the center superintendent as well as varsity-appointed observer. The invigilator shall take possession of the answer book of the candidate along with paper or other material found in possession. Kumar said that the committee will probe all angles in this case and take appropriate action accordingly.
Rajeev Agarwal, director GL Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management, said he has received information from the university to accommodate some students for the examination. “We have set up the examination centre for these students. The university’s observer has also come to our campus, and we are also installing CCTV cameras to ensure the examinations are conducted in a fair manner,” he said.