Chennai: Unearthing a major racket at the Institute of Distance Education, officials of University of Madras were shocked to find out that over 2,000 students have completed distance education programmes without paying tuition fees resulting in a financial loss to the university up to '3 crore.
The fraud came to light when the university tried to reconcile the bank records with the payments made through challans for admission before 2016 at the IDE.
After uncovering the irregularities, the university has withheld the degree certificates to over 2,000 students and had asked them to pay the full fees with a penalty to get all certificates including the convocation certificates.
Several students had joined MBA courses after 2008 have complained to the university saying they are yet to receive their certificates even after paying their fees.
While verifying the payment details, the IDE officials found out that students did not pay their tuition fees.
As per the procedures, the students will get their study materials only after paying their tuition fees.
Sources indicated that these students would have paid a part of the fees to the middlemen who in connivance with IDE staff deliberately changed the records to make it appear as if they have paid full fees.
“The wrong entry had allowed the students to get their study materials and also made them eligible to appear for exams,” sources added.
The malpractices committed during the admission in MBA programmes had the highest fee at that time.
Old students from IDE recalled that while they paid Rs 15,000 as tuition fee and some of these students paid less than Rs 5,000 to middlemen.
In some cases, the middlemen and corrupt elements in IDE after taking their cut have paid only Rs 300 which was just the exam fees.
“In some cases, they also made wrong entries in the bank challans as if the students made the full payment,” sources in the university said.
Majority of these students joined in the distance education programmes after 2008 and finished their course 2016.
“The IDE was completely in chaos and marred by corruption during this period. There was no mechanism to cross-check the payment by verifying bank records. The unscrupulous elements have exploited the loopholes in the system,” university officials said.
However, it remains a mystery as to how such a significant difference could escape the local audits.
“The racket could have been going on for several years, and thousands of students might have graduated without paying the tuition fees,” professors said.
Present Vice-Chancellor of University P. Duraisamy has introduced online payment method to eradicate manipulations in challan payment last year besides taking several initiatives to bring transparency and accountability in IDE administration.
“Now, without paying tuition fees, the students cannot download their hall tickets. We have put a system in place,” university officials said.
But, professors demanded strong action against the corrupt elements inside the university.
“The scamsters have stolen the answer scripts, manipulated the challans and cheated the examination system. Now, they have also looted the university. However, the university has not initiated any action against those who involved it,” they alleged.
When asked, the university officials denied the allegations saying that there was no particular evidence against anyone to take action.
“We have formed an inquiry committee headed by former DGP and filed a complaint with the CBCID in answer sheets missing case. The guilty will not go unpunished. Even in this case, there is no evidence for the scam and students have not come forward with any complaint,” they pointed out.
However, sources said the role of IDE staff in this racket could not be ruled out. “Students also partly responsible for such malpractices as they fall prey to the scamsters and that’s why they are hesitating to file the complaint,” they said.
