Bhubaneswar, Oct. 16: The technical education department has directed the Biju Patnaik University of Technology authorities to outsource conducting examinations and publication of results if it cannot handle the activities in a professional manner.

Repeated complaints about the varsity’s incompetence in matters related to examinations and publication of results has irked the department. It has expressed concern over the varsity’s inability to resolve issues related to students in more than 150 technical colleges.

Secretary of technical education department C.S. Kumar has shot off a letter to the varsity saying that a good number of complaints were received from students and their parents regarding delay and erroneous publication of results.

“During my recent visit to Kalahandi, the principal and the faculty members of Government College of Engineering, Kalahandi, said that there were 400 cases of non-publication or partial publication of results of the students of their college. It shows that no professional approach has been adopted for conducting of examinations and publication of results,” Kumar said, adding that it was a matter of great concern that after 11 years of establishment of the varsity, the examination system could not be managed professionally.

“The ad hoc approach to the conduct of examination and publication of results has made the system a mess. As a result, the students of the university are suffering the most. This is also tarnishing image of the university resulting in the decrease in admission of students in the BTech programmes under the varsity,” Kumar said.

The secretary has directed the authorities to take immediate measures to bring out changes in the process of conduct of examination and publication of results of the university in “a more professional manner” while directing for outsourcing these activities if required in order to ensure timely completion of the process

Authorities at the BPUT said that they had been trying their best to streamline the system and steps had been taken to ensure that there were no further complaints.

The number of complaints will certainly go down from this academic year onwards as a non-negotiable academic calendar is being followed and a list of measures on exam reforms has been taken.

The officials reasoned that although the problem has existed for more than 10 years now, permanent staff was recruited only this year.

“We moved into the permanent campus and started a full-fledged operation only this year. Things are slowly falling into place and the examination system is also being revamped,” said a senior BPUT official.