Fake certificates in focus after two professors face action

Chennai: Two incidents of action being taken against two college professors - one retired and one serving – has again brought into focus the issue of fake certificates and degrees in higher education institutions.

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai city police had arrested N.Veerappan, a retired professor from Thiagaraja College in Washermanpet, based on a complaint about a forged mark sheet by the collegiate education authorities.

Are complaints against fake degrees and certificates on the rise? Denying a rise in the number of complaints against fake certificates, officials from higher education department said that there are not many similar complaints. “These are old cases and pending for several years. There is a proper mechanism in place for certificate verification. Whenever the recruitment is taking place, their certificates are being sent for genuineness verification”, they said.

“They were recruited in 1989. We have received the complaints and took action after conducting an inquiry into the complaints,” they added. However, professors from the Presidency College said that the physical education director Ilango was not given an opportunity to present his side before the suspension. He was suspended based on a letter from YMCA college principal who said that there was no evidence of offering Diploma in Coaching and Training programme at the college in 1996-97.

“Four physical education directors who studied diploma in that year were employed in government colleges, including Queen Marys College for Women.

The director of collegiate education did not take note of all these facts,” they argued.

N.Pasupathy, vice-president, Association of University Teachers said the chances of fake certificates are very less as the higher education department  now insist on genuineness certificate  after joining service.

“Those who have joined in government or government-aided colleges after 2006, are asked to submit genuineness certificate for their degrees and PhD. The professors will get the benefits of career advancement only after the verification of genuineness of their certificates,” he said.