VTU changes printing process to plug question paper leaks

Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) will change the process of question paper printing from the next semester, after the university officials faced embarrassment following question paper leak in the first semester examinations.

During the first semester exams held in December last, Mathematics paper was leaked ten minutes before the start of the exam leading to chaos and re-examination. To avoid such situations, the varsity has now eliminated outsiders involved in question paper printing.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, VTU Vice Chancellor Maheshappa said a probe into the leak found that the outsiders involved in the paper printing were responsible for the leak. From now on, only the principals of the respective colleges will be involved in printing question papers.

Under the present system, a CD of questions stored in encrypted form and the key to access the coded paper is provided to the respective examination centres.

A third party vendor is hired to print the question papers 25 minutes before the exam. Other  involved in the process are the principal of the college, deputy chief (external) from other colleges nominated by VTU and deputy chief (internal) who is a professor or an assistant professor in the college.

Each of these three people is given access to colour-coded keys which pop up as soon as the delivery window is opened.

The third-party vendor will collect these coded keys and types in the combination of the keys to access the question paper in the Question Paper Delivery System, which verifies the correctness of the keys.

If it is correct, then the papers can be accessed and printed. With the probe pointing fingers at the outside vendors, the VTU has decided to let the principals of the colleges themselves handle the job of printing the question papers.

 “The paper will automatically be deleted from the system once the stipulated number of copies is printed,” Maheshappa said.

He rubbished claims that as many as 20 question papers were leaked during the exams held in December.

Recently, the Dean of Engineering, Prof Debaraj, resigned stating that the varsity had failed to admit the other paper leaks.

Prof Debaraj, who was the chairman of the committee set up to probe the Mathematics paper leak, claimed that the university was tight-lipped on 20 paper-leaks that took place during that exam.

Maheshappa, however, denied it and claimed that a section of the university was trying to malign him.