The University of Mumbai has decided to hand over the security at the examination section entirely to a private security agency to curb malpractices in the exam system.
The University of Mumbai has decided to hand over the security at the examination section entirely to a private security agency to curb malpractices in the exam system. According to university officials, as the security was handled jointly by the private agency and the university’s internal security there was a possibility of each one blaming the other in the event of any malpractices coming to light, hence it was decided to have a single agency to improve accountability.
Following the hue and cry after the Mumbai police unearthed the engineering exam answer sheet scam, the university has been trying to beef up the security by implementing various measures. However, as the security at the examination section is shared 80 per cent by a private agency and 20 per cent by the university’s own security there had been aspersions on the success of the measures being implemented. To address the problem it was decided to have a single agency to monitor the security within and outside the exam section.
“The university has only 60 permanent security personnel and was hiring temporary personnel on contract to take care of the security of both its campuses in Mumbai. However after it was found insufficient, the university after following due procedure decided to appoint an external agency and discontinue hiring temporary security,” said Dr M.A. Khan, registrar, MU.
Commenting on the matter, a former official of the MU said that the malpractices in the university’s exam section have been going on since a long time and the suspicion was on some of the permanent employees who abetted the same. “The move by the university to appoint a single agency to be responsible for the security of the exam section is a good move and go a long way in curbing any sort of corrupt practices,” the former official said.
