Menace of Fake Degrees : Erosion of Credibility

 

A recent investigation by one of the Indian government agencies found that Manav Bharti University (MBU) in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh has allegedly sold as many as 36,000 degrees since it was founded in 2009, for prices ranging from 100,000 to 300,000 rupees (US$1,362-4,085). Of the 41,000 degrees issued by the university in that time, only 5,000 were found to be genuine.

No Indian university can grant a degree without the regulator University Grants Commission’s (UGC) approval. Still, a large number of unauthorised universities are blatantly doling out certificates for years despite being on the watch list of the regulator. UGC is maintaining a list of fake universities for decades. UGC has been issuing fake universities list promptly every year since 1944. What catches the attention is that some institutions have been appearing on the list quite consistently. One such example is – Mahila Gram Vidyapith, a University in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh. It is making it to the list every year since 1994 and continues to admit students and award them degrees and certificates. It is surprising why no action is taken against these dubious universities. The toothless regulator has left the onus of verification and taking decision on those who seek admission.

Not only it is easy to get any degree of choice, even the PhD degrees can be obtained for a price. In Delhi many book stores sell PhD theses on any subject, both plagiarized and unplagiarised versions. While the unplagiarized version costs more, the plagiarised version costs less. The unplagiarised versions are actually prepared by the experienced professors from top colleges. PhD aspirants buy these so called original theses and submit to various universities. Some aspirants buy the plagiarised versions and do the changes and submit as their original work. Many universities across the country accept these so called theses and award PhD degrees.

It is also a known fact, many well-connected PhD guides associated with reputed and premier universities provide complete PhD package- right from writing the thesis till the award of the degree. The awardees have no clue whatsoever about their theses, even to the extent of not knowing the title of their own research work.  

Some Indian and overseas universities award honorary doctorates for a payment of a fee, based on a write-up by the candidate, claiming that considerable work has been done in a specific field for more than five years.  There are many such questionable scholars flaunting their misleading degrees, and enjoying all the benefits that come with the qualification.

Such dishonest and discredited PhDs head several academic institutions in the country and also guide many doctoral candidates. These cheats are not only incapable of providing ethical leadership but also set deplorable example for the students and the faculty of the institute. By becoming PhD guides, they produce more useless clones like themselves, thereby further polluting the education ecosystem.

The demand for doctoral degree has skyrocketed in the recent times, as the UGC has made it as the desired minimum qualification for appointment of teachers in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). It is but natural, when the demand increases, the opportunists take over the system to make a fast killing by hook or by crook. Quality takes a back seat, gets diluted and loses value.

Another reason for the proliferation of fake PhDs is the privatization of HEIs. The increasing thrust on NAAC and NBA Accreditations have increased the demand for PhDs by the HEIs, as every institute is expected to have a minimum number of teachers with PhD qualifications. Many of the HEIs are only interested in paper PhDs to meet the number formality. These fake PhDs will come at a low cost which will help the HEIs to keep their cost down.

National Education Policy-2021, which has been released recently, aims at improving the quality of education in the country at all levels. It also envisages developing ‘higher-order cognitive capacities’ such as critical thinking and problem solving skills- but also social, ethical and emotional capabilities and dispositions. This will remain a wishful thinking if the system is not able to produce quality faculty, who themselves come through a holistic and ethical education ecosystem.

It is time UGC wakes up from its deep slumber and establishes certain checks and balances to stem the rot. Otherwise, more and more fraudsters will take over the education system and permanently ruin the aspirations of the next generation to build a better life.

 

Dr. C K Sreedharan

Website – www.sreedharanck.com

Amazon – amazon.com/author/sreedharanck