NEW DELHI: The discovery of major discrepancies between the marks on the sociology answer scripts and the corresponding marks entered on the final scoresheet seemed to have averted a possible manipulation of the 2016-17 admission process in Jawaharlal Nehru University . A three-member panel that looked into the mess, however, said that they did not detect a clear pattern in the manner the marks were handled.The admissions branch found that the answer scripts of the MA sociology entrance examination had 22 instances of an increase of up to 50 marks between the figure on the answer script and on the final scoresheet and nine cases of a decrease of up to 18 marks from the actual scores. Copies of these answer scripts are with TOI.According to a senior JNU official, “The matter was discovered during the rechecking of marks for a misplaced answer script. It was found the marks on the answer script were different from what was entered as the final marks. Alarmed, the admissions branch carried out a further scrutiny and found similar discrepancies in 31 answer scripts. The marks had either been increased or decreased while tabulating them in the final score sheet.”Vibha Tandon, chairperson of the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, was immediately informed. Along with the assistant registrar (admission) and another faculty member, the panel visited the admission branch and confirmed the differences in the tally on the answer scripts and in the final score. The test had been evaluated by an eight-member entrance examination team from the Centre for Studies of Social Systems.Tandon said that her panel could not establish any pattern but recommended that since the discrepancies could not be overlooked, “responsibility should be fixed and necessary action taken against the concerned responsible person(s).”The sociology test had been attempted by 1,834 candidates. The university has decided to investigate the matter and fix responsibility.Concurrently, it was also discovered that a faculty member charged with sexual harassment in 2015 and subsequently dismissed from service had inexplicably been included in the evaluation team. “While the faculty member had approached the Court and the matter was sub judice, the correctness of his inclusion in the committee was raised in the university’s Executive Council meeting on June 30,” said a senior JNU administrative official.The report of the Appeals Committee of JNU dated May 11 had recommended the lodging of an FIR and the immediate eviction of the teacher from the campus.