Meghalaya PhD degree row: Services of 3 teachers terminated

Chandigarh: Services of three assistant professors serving in DAV institutions in Chandigarh and Punjab have been terminated after Panjab University (PU) withdrew approval to appointments made on the basis of PhD degrees obtained from CMJ University, Meghalaya.The faculty who faced the action include an assistant professor of computer science at DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, an assistant professor of Commerce at DAV College, Jalalabad, and an assistant professor of Computer Science at DAV College for Women, Ferozepur.The action follows PU’s June communication directing affiliated colleges to take necessary steps after deciding to withdraw approval granted to appointments where eligibility had been attained on the basis of CMJ University PhD degrees.The office order issued by DAV College, Sector 10, states that the services of the assistant professor were terminated with immediate effect due to “non-possession of essential qualifications prescribed for the post”, following PU’s withdrawal of approval and in view of judicial decisions concerning CMJ University degrees.The Chandigarh appointment had remained one of the most prominent cases linked to the controversy, which dates back to 2013, when complaints questioning the validity of qualifications used for appointments first surfaced.

The issue subsequently led to verification proceedings in Meghalaya, a PU committee inquiry and legal scrutiny before the university recently initiated action.RTI activist Rajinder Kumar Singla, who had pursued the matter through complaints and RTI applications, said PU had constituted a three-member committee to verify the authenticity of the degrees.“The committee’s report was accepted by the Syndicate on Dec 8, 2018, and recommended civil and criminal action after obtaining legal opinion.

The latest terminations are a significant step, but accountability should extend to everyone responsible for the appointments,” he said.Earlier, a senior PU official told TOI that around 17 teachers had been identified across affiliated colleges, including several in Chandigarh. While the latest terminations mark the first visible action following the university’s directive, officials said the process of identifying other affected appointments is still underway.