Congress raises the issue of fake degrees in private versity, gross irregularities in SPU, and paper leak

The Ruling Congress member raised the issue of fake degree scams by the Manav Bharti and APG universities and gross irregularities in the recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff in the Sardar Patel University Mandi in the state assembly. A call attention motion was moved by the Congress member Rajinder Rana and Chandershaikar in the state assembly on Monday. 

Replying to the call attention motion, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that in the matter of fake degree scams, Congress member Rajinder Rana has raised this issue time and again within the house and outside the assembly. There are several cases of fake degrees and paper leak and the faith of people is eroded by the incident. In 2007 a total of 17 private universities came once. He said that Jan 2019 first complaint came forth a 19-member SIT has been formed. After that new exposures were made 90 percent of degrees issued by Manav Bharti were found fake. He said that the number of fake degrees may be more. He said that due to this scam, the question mark was raised on the state education system and its reputation was dented as it got bad names. 

Minister said that 21 people were booked in the matter and its main accused Rajinder Kumar Rana was also arrested but he is now released on bail. With the help of Interpol, a lookout notice has been issued to ensure the immigration of the absconding family of Rana. The Minister said the government had already roped in ED and Interpol in this matter. The member demanded a CBI probe in the matter and that the matter would be taken cognizance of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu soon by the Government. 

Minister said that the matter is already pending in the court as  Chargesheet has been filed and a supplementary chargesheet is also being filled in the matter. He assured that the government wants to bring the issue to a logical conclusion and involvement of CBI in fake degrees of scams would be taken cognizance by the Chief Minister. He said that the role of APG university is also being probed. The Minister said that the government has passed the order to take action against the matter at Sardar Patel University the issue came forth. In 2022 a new university came into existence to provide higher education to the students of five districts of Himachal. The total recruitment was made for 67 teaching posts and 31 nonteaching posts including 28 clerks have been filled. The complaint was made first through the PMO office. 

Intervening on the issue  Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that in the matter of Manav Bharti university the SIT was constituted by the BJP government. He said that Rs 195 Crore property has been attached by the ED. He said that the government should expedite the probe into the Manav Bharati University matter. Taking strong support of the recruitment process in the SPU Mr. Thakur said that some people are trying to deprive  6700 students who benefited from passing this law to forming a university. He said that some people are lodging complaints to the PM as they are not able to digest the fact of who is responsible. 

Mr. Thakur said that he would fight vehemently to save the existence of the university as the matter is being politicized. He said that Congress member Chandershaikhar should understand the role of such complaints who are trying to create controversy on the matter. Mr. Thakur said that a team was deputed to make the university functional who is being accused by the complaint for indulging in recruitment is not correct. 

Mr. Thakur said that some joint secretaries in higher education who passed an order that there is a gross violation in the recruitment process. The Government was not aware of the real issue and he also raised the matter with the concerned minister he assured me to look into the issue. However, replying to the clarification made by Mr. Jai Ram Thakur, Rohit Thakur said that the matter was seized by this government in February and the opposition would allow the government to look into the matter. He said that the Congress Government has never compromised with the interest of Mandi district as it has opened IITs and Dr. Radhakrishnan Medical University Nerhchowke.