CHENNAI: Various communications of the Anna University in Coimbatore, introducing Examination Management System and provision of internal evaluation marks to two private companies in Bangalore and Secunderabad have been challenged in the Madras High Court.
And Justice K Suguna, before whom the writ petition from the Association of Management of Coimbatore Anna University Affiliated Colleges, represented by its president J Sudhanandan, came up for hearing last week, ordered notice to the University and the two companies -- Mindlogicx Infotech Limited in Bangalore and Tailtel Corporation of India Limited in Secunderabad -- returnable by April 13.
As per the communications, while the EMS will be done by Mindlogicx, the virtual private network (VPN) will be provided by the Railtel Corporation. The communications required the more than 100 affiliated colleges to provide at least 1,000 sq.ft built-up area with necessary infrastructure to keep the amenities of the service provider for effective implementation of the EMS. They also stated that the space required to be created for EMS would in fact belong to the service provider.
Senior advocate K Doraisamy contended that the August 6, 29, October 20, and November 12, 2008 and March 3, 2009 communications amounted to encroachment upon the day-to-day administrative power of the colleges. The new system, if implemented, would involve a whopping expenditure of Rs. 40 lakh per college and major part of the expenditure would be a recurring one, every year. Apart from the fact that the companies had no experience in the respective fields, the very system did not secure the technical approval.
The orders were in violation of the principles laid down by a 11-judges Bench of the Supreme Court holding that unaided institutions would have freedom regarding administrative matters. They also violated Articles 14 and 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. They would result only in enriching the service providers at the cost of the students. The authorities have failed to note that handing over of answer sheets to outside agencies for scanning and transmitting would be a blow to confidentiality. When all the other Universities in Chennai, Tiruchi and Tirunelveli were following the time-tested and foolproof methods of evaluation, the Coimbatore University was not justified in deviating from the procedure followed, Doraisamy further contended and sought to quash the communications.
The interim prayer was to restrain the University from taking any coercive steps against the institutions such as dis-affiliation, refusal to conduct examination and shifting of students to other colleges for writing examination.