FAISALABAD: A three-member committee of the NFC Institute of Engineering and Fertilizer Research, Faisalabad, has recommended action against the head of civil engineering department and two others following theft of dozens of answer sheets from the head of department (HoD) office.

Answer sheet bundles have been stolen from the office twice in October last.

The committee has recommended removal of the head of civil engineering department, Dr Saqib Ehsan, demotion of superintendent Boota Sabir, and termination of attendant Umer Hayat from service.

Institute director Prof Dr Shahid Raza constituted the committee comprising Hamid Ali Rao (convener), Syed Shamim Raza and Naveed Asif Shami (members).

The committee was tasked with probing use of unfair means in the examinations of BSc civil engineering.

Action recommended against others after theft of answer sheets

During investigations, the committee came to know that the theft of answer sheets was not the sole malpractice which took place in the civil engineering department. There were also very clear indications of malpractices, including compilation of students attendance, award of tenders and students survey camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the report available with Dawn says.

During the probe, the committee investigated how four bundles of answer sheets (probable date of theft was Oct 9 last and copies were returned on Oct 12) had been stolen from Dr Ehsan’s office.

The committee interrogated eight people including Dr Ehsan, Mrs Wajiha Qamar, assistant professor, Atif Ali Khan, lecturer, Boota Sabir, superintendent, Arshad Ejaz, surveyor, Umer Hayat, attendant, Awais Fida and Waqas Hanif, two civil engineering students.

In its findings, the committee mentioned that the civil engineering department did not follow examinations rules and regulations.

“All the unmarked answer sheet bundles of all the subjects were lying unlocked in the HOD office for days before handing over to the concerned person. The personal assistant of HOD or some staff members are responsible for delivery of answer sheets to the concerned teachers/examiners even in the absence of HOD,” the report said.

Sabir and Hayat also had duplicate key and hence unchecked/unlocked answer sheet bundles were lying on the side of a table, it said.

“The committee came to know that at least one incident of theft of answer sheets has been reported/investigated by the departmental committee. In the light of recommendations of the previous committee, the culprits were punished partially.”

It mentioned that “we don’t know how many incidents went unreported. However, no change in routine/procedure of HOD was observed.”

The report said not a single measure like change of lock and key of HOD office, placement of sheets in lock and key and CCTV cameras request was taken.

The committee declared that Dr Ehsan, Sabir and Hayat were found negligent.

It recommended withholding of increment of Dr Ehsan with his removal from the HOD position, withholding of increment and demotion of Sabir and termination of Hayat from service.

“The second incident of theft of final examination answer sheets (four bundles containing approximately 140 unmarked papers) of 6th semester BSc civil engineering (entry 2012) after the first similar case of class (entry 2011) clearly shows the negligence, mismanagement and incompetency of Dr Eshan in maintaining secrecy/rules and regulation of the department.

All key bearers are responsible for the occurrence of series of such malpractices one after the other in which the reputation of the teaching department in general and institute in specific is damaged badly,” the committee mentioned.

Considering the malpractices, a committee comprising senior executives be constituted to investigate all matters thoroughly to identify responsible persons, the probe team recommended.

Institute director Mr Shahid Raza did not respond to SMS and email sent by this correspondent.

Later, Dr Ehsan told Dawn that scores of inquiries were pending with the institute and “I don’t know which committee has recommended action against me.”

He said the media had no mandate to take up the internal inquiries of institutes.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2015