PU panel calls for action against teachers

Bhartesh Singh Thakur 

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, December 4 

A Panjab University (PU) panel, in its report regarding invalid PhD degrees of two teachers of DAV College here, blamed former Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover in the case.

 The panel, which recently visited CMJ University in Shillong (Meghalaya) to verify the teachers’ degrees, also called for disciplinary and criminal proceedings against the two teachers — Mandeep Josan and Gagandeep Singh Brar — for allegedly claiming benefit of invalid PhD degrees.  

Both Josan and Brar are from the computer science department of DAV College, which is affiliated to the PU. The PU panel comprised Senators Ashok Goyal, Prabhjit Singh and Controller of Examinations Prof Parvinder Singh. 

The report of the PU panel will now be placed before the Syndicate on December 8. 

Findings of the report

The panel report said Mandeep Josan and Gagandeep Singh Brar submitted representations in terms of the directions issued by the Supreme Court and were granted an opportunity of hearing by the Meghalaya Government’s committee on the validity of teachers’ PhD degrees. “No degree awarded by the CMJ University to PhD candidates was found to be valid. The degrees of Gagandeep Brar, Mandeep Josan and Vinod Kumar have also been declared invalid (on March 31, 2014),” said the report. 

It also added that the notice of cancellation of degrees of Gagandeep Brar, Mandeep Josan and Vinod Kumar was duly conveyed by speed post and “such a material fact about the invalidation of the degree has been deliberately concealed from the PU”. 

The report questioned why the PU granted “unconditional and unqualified approval” rather than “provisional approval” to these candidates (without awaiting verification about their PhD degrees). 

“Such an action on the part of officers/officials is in aid of the candidates who were guilty of suppressing facts from the PU and is furthermore in derogation of the orders passed by the Supreme Court of India. Separate proceedings are required to be initiated to identify the role and conduct of such officers/officials,” the report commented. 

The candidates were called upon to furnish affidavits as per the decision of the Syndicate dated January 25, 2015, about the validity of degrees. The affidavits were submitted in May, 2015. “Pertinently, none of the affidavits state categorically that their degrees had not been cancelled. The office/Vice-Chancellor appeared to have deliberately omitted such a declaration in the language of the affidavit as the record made available by the Government of Meghalaya reveals that the candidates had been informed in 2014 about their degrees being declared invalid,” added the report. 

“The record further reveals that vide cover letter dated 12.10.2017, an affidavit of Mandeep Josan, which was attested on 13.10.2017 (a day after the cover letter) was received, wherein she has stated that her PhD degree “has never been cancelled”. The affidavit is not only false in view of the foregoing facts but it also surprising as to how a document created on 13.10.2017 could be tagged with a forwarding letter dated 12.10.2017. The Principal of the college (BC Josan) seemed to be in a hurry more than the candidate herself in the matter,” said the report. 

“I had no additional role. The entire processing was done by the then DCDC (Dean, College Development Council). Nothing was hidden from the Senate and Syndicate,” said Prof Arun Kumar Grover, former Vice-Chancellor. 

Josan and Brar couldn’t be contacted. 

SC order

• According to the report, the SC order dated September 13, 2013, stated: “The students whose admissions and degrees were declared illegal may also make representation to the state government and seek an opportunity of hearing from it. The request made by them will be sympathetically considered by the state government.” Mandeep Josan and Gagandeep Singh Brar made the representations and their degrees were found invalid. The report said that no PhD degree has been found to be valid. It reveals that amongst the PhD degree holders, 677 degrees were recommended as invalid, 110 were recommended for relocation and 10 degrees were recommended for the refund of fee. However, 1,064 students abstained from participating in the hearing.
• According to the report, subsequent litigation between the CMJ University/Foundation and the Government of Meghalaya is with regards to the dissolution of the university while invoking Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009.