Pune:
Event Context
Team Analysis
Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Tuesday suspended an employee of its finance and accounts department and registered a police complaint to the effect that he accepted money from a student after promising to procure fake B.Com. marksheets and a degree certificate without the student appearing for the examinations. The action came hours after the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest outside the university’s examination and evaluation board, demanding stringent action against those responsible.
SPPU clarified that Mukhekar was employed in the finance and accounts department and had no role in the examination and evaluation board. It also said that the documents allegedly shared by him did not match the university’s official records. Prima facie, the university found that the employee had accepted money and appeared to have participated in the alleged misconduct.
Considering the seriousness of the allegations, the university placed Mukhekar under immediate suspension and filed a complaint with the Chaturshrungi police through Rajendra Talware, director of the examination and evaluation board, seeking a detailed investigation.
Meanwhile, NSUI members staged a demonstration outside the examination and evaluation board, raising slogans against the university administration and throwing symbolic fake currency notes to allege that degrees were being ‘sold for money’.
The student organisation alleged that the incident had severely damaged the credibility of SPPU and undermined the efforts of thousands of genuine students. It demanded a fair, high-level and time-bound investigation into the case.
Among its key demands, the NSUI sought immediate registration of criminal cases against all those found involved in the alleged fake degree racket. It also demanded the resignation of the officiating registrar, the director of the examination and evaluation board, and the head of the finance and accounts department, arguing that they should accept moral and administrative responsibility for the incident. The organisation also called for an independent inquiry into the role of senior university officials.
“This entire alleged fake B.Com. degree case is extremely serious and has tarnished the reputation and credibility of SPPU. It is not just a degree that has allegedly been sold for ₹3 lakh; the university’s credibility itself has been put on sale. The officiating registrar and the director of the examination and evaluation board should take moral responsibility and resign immediately,” said Siddhant Jambhulkar, vice-president, NSUI Pune city.
Echoing the demand, Abhijit Gore, president, NSUI Pune city, said, “A fair and high-level investigation should be conducted and criminal action should be initiated against all those found guilty. Until accountability is fixed, NSUI will continue its agitation in the interest of students and to protect the university’s reputation”.
NSUI warned that it will intensify its agitation if the university fails to take further action against those responsible.
Match Outlook
“The employee was not associated with the examination department. He appears to have misused his knowledge of the university’s examination system while carrying out the alleged act. Whether any other individual was involved in the racket will be established during the police investigation,” said SPPU registrar Praful Pawar.
The university also appealed to students and parents not to be misled by rumours regarding the authenticity of university-issued academic documents, stating that its marksheets and degree certificates carry multiple security features designed to prevent forgery.
The suspension comes a day after SPPU constituted a fact-finding committee following a complaint that the employee had allegedly offered to arrange a B.Com. degree in exchange for money without the candidate completing the admission process or appearing for examinations. University officials had earlier said strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty.
