LAHORE The chairperson of the Punjab University Institute of Education and Researchs Masters in Technology Education programme has allegedly passed as many as 20 failed students by tampering their awards sheets. The award sheets were submitted by a visiting teacher, who had refused to change these as per the chairpersons desire, sources have revealed to TheNation. The sources said that Dr Hameed Nawaz submitted two award sheets of Applied Electricity course of MTE (morning) and MTE (self-supporting) classes of the 2009-11 Session to the IER. Dr Hameed, in his award sheets judgment, had declared about 20 students, including Faiza Sibtain, Hafiza Rubab Iram, Asma Sabir, Wajeeha Aslam, Shumaila Naz, Sadia Mushtaq and Mehvish Shaukat of MTE (morning) and Syed Ayub Ali Talha, Lubna Shaheen, Ruqiya Perveen, M Abid Naveed, Ayesha Tahir, Iqra Ishtiaq, Anum Javed, Javaria Masood, Faseeha Sadaf, Zainab Zulfiqar Ali, Mahwish Tariq, Amir Shoukat and Aneeza Amanat Ali as fail, according to the sources. They said MTE Chairperson Tehseen Mehmood forced Dr Hameed to declare the failed students as pass, but he did not do so. Then the chairperson, in connivance with IER Director Dr Mumtaz Akhtar, changed the mark-sheets by awarding the students pass marks. She replaced and submitted the new mark-sheets without signature of Dr Hameed, the sources further revealed. The Coordinator of the Self-Supporting Class of the Department of Technology Education (IER), Mr Mahfooz Ahmad Kamboh wrote a letter to IER Director Dr Akhtar and also sent its copies to PU Vice-Chancellor and the Faculty of Educations Dean. Mahfooz, in his letter, wrote: Dr Hameed Nawaz (ex-chairman of MTE) was retired on August 15, 2008. After his retirement, he was appointed on contract basis for teaching the classes. He taught the course entitled 'Applied Electricity in the Fall Semester of 2009 to the MTE students (both Regular and Self-Supporting) Session 2009-2011. According to the award lists, furnished by Dr Hameed Nawaz at the end of the semester, approximately twenty students were declared as fail. In this situation, the Chairperson came in my office for consultation as I am the Co-Ordinator of the Self-Supporting Programme of the Department of Technology Education. She asked me that how the matter of failed students can be solved. I gave her the proposal that this course may be re-offered and the failed students can repeat this course through the registration under rules. Instead of acting upon my advice, she pressurised Dr Hameed Nawaz to declare the failed students as pass. If he will do so his contract can be further extended. Dr Hameed Nawaz refused to do so. Resultantly, she herself submitted the award lists without signature of Dr Hameed Nawaz, which is illegal action under the rules. In the light of the above-mentioned facts, whole the matter is illegal; hence an inquiry may be conducted and responsible persons may be counted for so that in future such illegal practices could be avoided. It is to be noted here that an award sheet can only be replaced with the consent of director of the institute (in this case IER Director Mrs Dr Mumtaz Akhtar) because she is the custodian of the record. The sources said Mrs Akhtar did not bother to take notice of the issue as she herself was involved in the matter. The sources believed that the chairperson altered the award sheets to present a positive face of the department. They further said that the Dean of Faculty of Education commented that he had confirmed the matter of the failed students from Dr Hameed Nawaz. He wrote on the letter that he had already pointed out such cases in the past and inquiries against two teachers were still pending with the VC Office. When contacted for her comment on the issue, Mrs Mumtaz Akhtar said she could not comment without permission from the Universitys administration. PU Addl Registrar Dr Aurangzeb Alamgir was also not available for comment.