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Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Engineering professor, 3 students held for exam malpractices
The Pune Police Crime Branch's Unit 6 has arrested a professor and three students from Moze Engineering College in Wagholi for allegedly providing university exam papers to students to rewrite in exchange for money, police said on Tuesday. Taking serious cognisance of the case, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has constituted a fact-finding committee which has been asked to submit the report within seven days post which the varsity authorities have promised action against the college staff, said Prabhakar Desai, officiating director, Board of Examinations and Evaluation, SPPU. According to officials, based on a tip-off, the action was taken at the college on Monday night. Police said the professor allegedly allowed students to rewrite examination papers after the scheduled exam hours by accepting money. The investigation revealed that targeted students, worried about failing in particular subjects, would leave the answer sheets blank during the exam, conducted during the second half of the day. Later in the night, Satav gave them the answer sheet to rewrite the paper with correct answers and charge ₹10,000- ₹50,000 per paper. As per SPPU officials, since the exam was conducted in the second half of day, the answer sheet would remain with the college till next morning before been brought to the university. The accused, Pratik Kisan Satav, 37, of Kesnand in Wagholi is professor at the mechanical engineering department of the private engineering college. He has been teaching mathematics at the Moze Engineering College since past five years. The arrested students include Aditya Yashwant Khilare, 20; Amol Ashok Nagargoje, 19, and Aniket Shivaji Rode, 20, all from Wagholi who helped the professor in the racket. Nagargoje and Rode, third year students of the college, are engaged in providing security services to the institute under the earn and learn scheme. Khilare works at a hostel run by Satav's wife. He, according to police officials, was also looking after Satav's finances during the exam malpractices. All the four arrested will be produced in the local court on Wednesday, a police official said. Despite attempts, Moze college authorities did not respond to allegations and the police action. Officials said six answer sheet bundles of engineering mathematics paper 2 of SPPU, ₹2,06,000 in cash and duplicate key of the control room where answer sheets were kept were seized from Satav's possession. Eight first year students of the engineering course were found to have received the exam papers. Nikhil Pingale, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), crime, said, 'We are investigating how long they have been running the racket and who else is involved in the case.' Wagholi Police Station has filed a case under Sections 303(2), 318(2), 318(3), 318(4), 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 4, 5, 10 and 11 of the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. In October and December 2024, there were complaints of similar nature against professor Satav. In January 2025, the SPPU wrote to Moze Engineering College asking the institute to probe the paper leak allegations by constituting the committee. The panel set up by the college, however, did not find anything substantial against the professor. The college removed him from the post of chief examination officer responsible for the smooth conduct of exam.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Cash-for-paper case: 4, including Wagholi college professor, held
A professor at an engineering college in Wagholi affiliated to the Savitribai Phule Pune University has been arrested for paying bribes in exchange for answer paper manipulation, along with three others. The professor allegedly took bribes from students to allow them to rewrite their 'Mathematics 2' paper that was conducted on June 2. A press note shared by the crime branch unit six of Pune city said that a whistleblower informed them on June 2 that the professor had taken bribes from students to allow them to enter the college at night and rewrite their answer papers. Based on this information, the unit conducted a raid at the college at 2 am on June 3 and recovered six bundles of written answer sheets, Rs 2,06,000 in cash, and a duplicate key of the room where the papers were kept. A total of eight first-year students had arrived at the college in the night. The said professor and his accomplices had allegedly spied on students struggling to pass the exams and charged Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 as bribes from each one of them to allow them to rewrite their paper. A statement shared by the officiating director of the Board of Examinations and Evaluation at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Professor Prabhakar Desai, said: 'The actions of a professor of Moze Engineering College, Wagholi is highly unethical and in violation of the university examination planning regulations. Savitribai Phule Pune University has immediately constituted a fact-finding committee in this regard and has asked this committee to submit its report within just 7 days. As soon as the report is received from this committee, strict action will be taken against the concerned persons by the Examination and Evaluation Board as per the University law. As examinations are very important events in the life of a student, its seriousness and sanctity should be preserved by everyone and the Examination and Evaluation Board of Savitribai Phule Pune University is very sensitive in this regard.'
Hindustan Times
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
SPPU to decide on re-exam for student held over social media post next week
Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) will take a decision early next week on whether to allow a second-year engineering student, arrested earlier this month over a social media post on Operation Sindoor, to appear for two exam papers she missed while in custody. 'As per the Bombay high court's order, the applicant has been given the liberty to appeal to the university regarding the missed exams. Keeping both the court's observations and the student's interests in mind, we are committed to taking a decision that benefits the student,' said Prabhakar Desai, director, board of examinations and evaluation, SPPU, on Saturday. According to sources, the college is likely to approach SPPU within two days. Desai said that once both the student and the college approach the university through proper channels, a decision will be taken. 'Re-examinations are conducted for students who miss their papers due to valid reasons like health or schedule clashes. This case will be considered under the same norms,' said Desai. The 19-year-old student from Sinhgad Academy of Engineering was arrested on May 9 for allegedly posting pro-Pakistan content on Instagram in response to India's 'Operation Sindoor'. She was lodged in Yerawada jail and missed two of her university exams scheduled on May 24 and 27. KM Gaikwad, vice-principal of Sinhgad Academy of Engineering, said the matter now rests with the university. 'If SPPU instructs us to conduct her pending exams, we will implement it. But the decision lies with the university,' he said.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
SPPU issues circular for FY BBA, BCA exams; college-level tests from June 2
Pune: The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has issued a circular directing all affiliated colleges and recognised institutions to conduct first-year BBA and BCA examinations at the college level. The circular issued on May 22 states that practical exams will be held from June 2 to June 7, followed by written exams from June 9 to June 21. The exams are for the newly restructured BBA and BCA programmes introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and implemented from the 2024–25 academic year. According to the circular issued by the university's examination department, the exams must be conducted for all first-year BBA and BCA courses, including BBA (general), BBA (international business), BCA (science), BCA (commerce), and BCA (computer applications). The university had earlier issued circulars related to these exams on October 28, 2024; March 15, 2025, and May 12, 2025. Based on these, principals and directors of affiliated colleges and recognised institutions across Pune, Ahilyanagar, Nashik, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have been instructed to make the necessary arrangements. 'Colleges are expected to conduct the exams at their level as per the directives issued,' said Prabhakar Desai, director-in-charge, SPPU Examination and Evaluation Board.
