Mumbai University 2011
The university has decided to install security cameras and baggage scanners in the examination house. The proposal was cleared after two staffers were caught smuggling out answer booklets a fortnight ago.
The incident highlighted the porous security in the exam house and hence the need for clearing the long-pending proposal. "We will have 15 CCTV cameras installed at important locations where answer scripts are kept and where assessment takes place," said controller of exams Vilas Shinde.
A source said luggage scanners will be installed at the gates to ensure that incidents like answer books being taken out are not repeated. "It is the need of the hour; we had to up the security measures," said vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar.
The answer booklet smuggling showed that the administration had turned a deaf ear to demands for improved security at the exam centre, where centralised assessment of lakhs of answer sheets takes place. On campus, the centre is often described as a "big machine still running with old machine oil".
Close to 300 temporary workers are in charge of issuing answer sheets for checking at the centre, but just 60-70 temporary guards are responsible for ensuring security at the entire campus.
For years, Mumbai University has been lobbying with the state government to fill up 100 permanent posts that range from junior clerk to senior officer. This number could supervise the goings-on inside the exam centre on the Kalina campus. Currently, there are only 350 permanent staffers, most of them being involved in activities like setting question papers, printing and despatch.
The university has decided to install security cameras and baggage scanners in the examination house. The proposal was cleared after two staffers were caught smuggling out answer booklets a fortnight ago.
The incident highlighted the porous security in the exam house and hence the need for clearing the long-pending proposal. "We will have 15 CCTV cameras installed at important locations where answer scripts are kept and where assessment takes place," said controller of exams Vilas Shinde.
A source said luggage scanners will be installed at the gates to ensure that incidents like answer books being taken out are not repeated. "It is the need of the hour; we had to up the security measures," said vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar.
The answer booklet smuggling showed that the administration had turned a deaf ear to demands for improved security at the exam centre, where centralised assessment of lakhs of answer sheets takes place. On campus, the centre is often described as a "big machine still running with old machine oil".
Close to 300 temporary workers are in charge of issuing answer sheets for checking at the centre, but just 60-70 temporary guards are responsible for ensuring security at the entire campus.
For years, Mumbai University has been lobbying with the state government to fill up 100 permanent posts that range from junior clerk to senior officer. This number could supervise the goings-on inside the exam centre on the Kalina campus. Currently, there are only 350 permanent staffers, most of them being involved in activities like setting question papers, printing and despatch.
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