Is tech boom eroding pillars of honesty supporting PU?

CASE 1 Fifty-eight-year-old student of Law caught red handed using unfair means in annual examination with the help of ‘micro slips’. When his case was put up for hearing by the Panjab University UMC Committee,he pleaded for pardon,claiming to be a social worker and saying that it would spoil his reputation in front of of his children’s in-laws. Also,when he appeared in front of the V-C,where he had appealed against the Committee’s decision to debar him,he gave similar arguments and added that he could not face himself in front of the mirror.

Case 2 Twin sisters caught using unfair means in MSc examination at DAV College,Sector 10. Case heard by two different UMC committees. One debarred for two years; the other for five years.

Case 3 Arts student debarred from the university under UMC guidelines for taking help from another student outside the examination center by using a bluetooth device to solve his paper.

Many similar cases have been reported this year. A study of recent unfair means cases at Panjab University reveals that there has been an increase of more than 35 per cent in the number of such instances this year. The University has so far dealt with around 200 of these cases against 150 in the previous year. According to the authorities,this number will increase as more cases have started pouring in from the compartmental examinations conducted in September.

Interestingly,students have been caught red-handed using technology like mobile phones and bluetooth devices apart from the most popular method of cheating – micro slips. Another contender in the list is impersonation,which has come up as another common method of UMC.

The cases are being dealt with by the two special committees,of three members each,constituted by the university. The panel members revealed that the majority of cases involved regular students,equally spread between graduate and post graduate courses.

The cases have been submitted to the committee from evaluators,the university secrecy branch,invigilators and flying squads. There have also been several instances where one student has several cases against him,invoving use of mobile phones,slips,impersonation,misbehaviour with officials and even tearing of answer sheets.

According to the University guidelines,defaulters can be debarred for a period of two to six years. In the cases dealt with by the UMC Committee this year,one MA student has already been debarred for the maximum period of six years. The authorities also make defaulters fill a basic questionnaire during hearing. The University authorities revealed that in several cases,defaulters do not bother to appear for personal hearings despite several letters being issued to them.

“The defaulters would produce not one but several medical certificates in order to avoid personal hearings while the next day they would appear to take a copy of the decision,” said a staff member at the Panjab University UMC branch.

“On an average,around 10 cases come for appeal after the decision of the committees. This year there has been an increase in this number too. Their appeals are being heard by the vice-chancellor. He may mark them to another committee or uphold the decision of the committee,” revealed one of the UMC Committee members.

PU CALENDAR (VOL-II) GUIDELINES
If during a University examination,a candidate is found in malafide possession of any material (paper,books,notes,written notes on any part of his clothes or on any part of his body,desk or foot rule or instrument relevant to the subject of examination),he shall be disqualified from appearing in the University examination for two years,including that in which he is found guilty

Any person who impersonates a candidate shall be disqualified from appearing in any University examination for five years and,if necessary,may be reported to the police. In case person is connected under any of these regulations but is not a candidate for any University examination,the V-C may also hand over the case to the policeA candidate found guilty of using abusive or obscene language in the answer-sheet shall be disqualified from passing that examination