The cash-for-marks scam that rocked Gauhati University (GU) last week has prompted the Assam government to direct the education department to constitute an expert committee to examine the software being used by other universities in the state to store the marks obtained by students.

There are two central universities, 14 state-run universities and six private universities in the state.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the committee would see how efficient the software being used by the other varsities was and suggest corrective measures so that the students do “not lose faith” in the examination system.

The development came on a day when the GU students’ union staged a three-hour dharna seeking an internal inquiry into the scam.

“We have sought clarification from the university authorities on the entire issue, an internal inquiry and steps to prevent a repeat in writing. The authorities told us that they have started an internal inquiry,” a student told The Telegraph.

The chief minister had on Friday revealed the scam leading to the arrest of 9 persons, including K. Krishnamurthi, an official of the ITI Limited looking after the Integrated University Management System (IUMS) at the GU.

The IUMS is the heart of the Digital-GU initiative, handling all major functions of the administration, including admission, examination and re-evaluation of answer scripts.

A university official said two members of the ITI Limited, the Central government undertaking looking after the IUMS, met with the inquiry team on Monday. He said the identity of the inquiry team members have been kept confidential.

The marksheet scam came to light during the investigation of the discrepancies in the original and tampered marksheets of a degree student of Ganesh Lal Choudhury College at Barpeta Road in lower Assam in May.

Sarma said the GU was facing a serious issue because their software (related to storing marks) “is so weak anybody can change the marks” obtained by a student.

He said the statement of the arrested administrative officer of the software company looking after the IUMS at the GU has admitted to his role in changing marks but also alleged that “university people also come, sit before the computers and change the marks”.