T R Subramanya, Registrar (Evaluation) of the Bangalore University (BU), has clarified that the State government had exempted the university from the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act for printing and procuring question and answer booklets. 

Responding to reports in the media that BU had called for regular tenders for printing of answer booklets with security features, Subramanya said that when tenders were called through e-procurement mode, before calling for regular tenders, many firms had not quoted all the items required by the university.

The exemption came through a circular issued in January 2010. 

“Hence, the university could not accept the technical bids submitted by these firms. Some other firms had not registered with the e-governance department and therefore, could not submit their tenders,” he said.

Despite the exemption from e-procurement, the university had called for tenders for printing and scanning of answer books to ensure transparency, Subramanya said.

“No illegality has been committed and all decisions have been taken as per the law,” he said with regard to the Rs four-crore tender.

It had been reported earlier that BU had called for technical bids through e-procurement mode for printing of answer books with security features, printing of degree certificates and others. 

While the opening of the technical bids was scheduled for February 15, BU published another regular tender in newspapers with the same specifications on February 22. Under Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act, all bids worth Rs five lakh and above have to be through e-procurement. 

If the bids fail to meet the requirements, fresh bids must be called through e-procurement.