Anna Univ withholds results of over 1L for indulging in malpractice

More than four lakh undergraduate students pursuing BE and B Tech courses had appeared for online exams this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The online exams were held from February first week and the results were announced recently. A senior professor from the institution, who also monitored the exams and the results, seeking anonymity, told DT Next that, unlike other State-owned institutions, Anna university had conducted the proctored exam, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) which monitors student’s activities including their eyes to prevent them from indulging in irregularities during exams. 

“The online exams could be attended in laptop computers, smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers”, he said adding “the students were clearly instructed that the devices should be positioned in such a way that the front camera captures their face properly and should sit one hour to take the examination conveniently without moving the device”. 

Pointing out that the clock was set at the server, he said “the countdown timer in the top right corner of the screen of your device will display the remaining time available for the students to complete the examination”. 

The university staff said the institutions had constituted a big evaluation team to correct the online answer sheets. “Accordingly, with the availability of video recordings of the student’s exam proceedings, it was found about 1.20 lakh candidates have indulged in malpractices including copying”. 

Stating that it was clearly instructed that the students were not allowed to access the internet or books for referring to any material or consult other people for any information during the entire duration of the examination session, “many students took the instructions carelessly and indulged in malpractices. 

However, the official said the results were also withheld for a few thousand students due to technical issues such as problems with the internet connection and technical snags in their devices. “We have not made the students, who indulged in irregularities, failed but their results are withheld since university might also give one last chance for another attempt”, he said adding “though the results were put on hold, these students could continue their next semester studies”.