VTU Maths paper leaked at Bangalore Engg College

The Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belgaum conducted the Engineering first semester Mathematics re-exam on Jan 23, the paper has been leaked half an hour before the exam.

Now the officials found that the source of the leak turned out to be an exam centre near Yelahanka in Bangalore, where one would have thought stricter security measures were in place.

Initially, VTU vice-chancellor found that the exam paper could have leaked at Davanagere or Tumkur and inspection team were sent to these places immediately.

An official was deputed to check the suspect exam centre. It was found that a computer had been configured to convert encrypted emails of papers sent by VTU. A staffer's phone showed 10 missed calls and a tell-tale SMS.

According to the sources, while the VTU inspection team were in Davanagere and Tumkur, they got a tip-off that the question paper had leaked from Bangalore. Immediately, an official from near by college was sent to the suspect exam centre. He reached the college at round 1.30 pm, the time when VTU uploads question papers and sends them to its exam centres. He found a staffer handling the computer system acting strangely. When the latter was questioned, he said he was "merely doing work". As he was being questioned, he kept getting calls on his mobile which he avoided answering. His phone was seized and its was found that he had received missed calls from the same number ten times. Later then a message appeared on the phone from the same number. Reading "Are you done with sending the stuff", said a source monitoring the development.

The configuration of the computer system in the exam centre was doubtful. It is supposed to be connected with two printers. But it was connected with another fax machine and had a document writer that can convert encrypted messages into PDFs. Officials suspect the PDFs of the question paper were mailed to the scamsters who forwarded to the students.

After reaching the inspection team to the exam centres, they take him to observation for further process. VTU officials say thay have cracked the question paper leak.

Later, VTU vice-chancellor H Maheshappa said they have substantial leads and will discuss the issue at an inquiry committee meeting on Friday.

A VTU academician said, "Its a good example of the loopholes that exist even in the so-called foolproff of technology adopted by VTU. The varsity should ensure that such leakages no not repeat again. Mathematics papers was an common paper for all the first semester engineering students. Due to the leakage, students have to re-write the exam on Jan 23, 2013,"