CHENNAI: In what could be another scandal in the Anna University, the vigilance officers are probing whether the university officials caused Rs 60 crore loss to the exchequer by printing mark sheets in huge quantum at an inflated price earlier this year.
The convenor committee of the University (which was dissolved with the appointment of MK Surappa as Vice-Chancellor), had formally lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.
“The university needed only 2 lakh mark sheets. However, over 20 lakh mark sheets were printed. We alerted DVAC in March,” said a source privy to the matter. These are empty mark sheets which would be later filled with the marks and distributed to the students.
The DVAC officials said they are investigating the allegations now along with the cash-for-marks scam. But an FIR is yet to be filed in the allegations over the mark sheet irregularities.
Sources said that this many mark sheets should not be printed in one stretch as university grading system changes with regulations and these changes will alter the format of the mark sheet. Thus these mark sheets would go waste sooner.
“The cost of mark sheets ranged from Rs 25 to Rs 60, as opposed to single-digit cost usually incurred by other universities,” the source said.
The printing company is said to have charged such exorbitant price claiming that reasons of improved security such as logos, hidden foils and other features that will prevent duplication.
There are further alleged malpractices in tendering, according to another source in the University.
“The tendering process was not transparent and the printing was done in a hushed fashion. Other authorised printed were kept in dark about the tendering process,” the source said.