CCTV shows Mumbai university' staffer 'took pics' of BCom papers

MUMBAI: CCTV footage from the Mumbai University's Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE) at its Kalina campus shows a contractual staffer, Sudesh Tukaram Indap (40), allegedly photographing question papers for the BCom Semester VI exams inside the examination control room. The photos were allegedly taken while making xerox copies of the papers.

Police had on Thursday booked Indap for leaking the papers. He has been sacked by the university, and showcause notices have been served to three other temporary employees.

According to the FIR filed on Thursday by Prof Shivaji Sargar, CDOE director and chief conductor of the examination process, the breach surfaced on April 15 following an alert from the exam department. A review of CCTV footage confirmed the act, and the accused is said to have admitted to forwarding the images, allegedly for financial gain.

The incident is believed to have taken place between April 9 and April 16 at the Kalina campus. A case has been registered under the Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractices in University, Board and Other Examinations Act, 1982, along with relevant provisions of the IPC. Further inquiry is underway.

The revelation has led to questions over how such sensitive material was left in the hands of temporary personnel. Student bodies and academics have asked: where were professors and officials tasked with securing papers until they reached exam halls? The incident has cast a shadow on security protocols. Exam centres are mandated to deploy at least 3 permanent department heads to oversee critical processes such as downloading question papers through face recognition, printing, and sealing. Yet in this case, a temporary employee is said to have accessed the control room and photographed the paper, raising doubts about whether safeguards existed only on paper.

Yuva Sena senate member Pradeep Sawant questioned the absence of accountability at the top. "Why has the university not filed a complaint of negligence against Sargar? As CDOE head, he is responsible for what transpired. Ironically, he was asked to file the police complaint himself, nine days after the incident," he said.

ABVP Mumbai metropolitan secretary Prashant Mali alleged a lack of urgency in the university's response. "The administration's slow action and apparent attempts to suppress the issue show a lack of seriousness," he said.
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