'Over 37K degrees issued by Jodhpur pvt varsity fake'

JAIPUR: In a startling revelation, the SOG on Monday said that of nearly 50,000 degrees issued by the Jodhpur National University in the past six years, as many as 37,000 could be fake. These degrees were allegedly issued to students without them having to appear in any examination or attend classes, in exchange for money. The estimate was drawn on the basis of records seized from the data centres set up by university chairman, Kamal Mehta, who has been arrested, DIG, ATS & SOG, BL Meena said.
The SOG has found documents in which the names of some students who were to be issued degrees were written. There are remarks in Mehta's handwriting that which of these students should be provided a particular degree in how many days, the officer said.
The SOG has also seized a few examination copies from Mehta's house and his office. These copies further establish that marks were given without any proper evaluation.
"We have come to know that since the university was established in 2008, nearly 50,000 degrees were issued. These numbers are just preliminary estimation. As per the records seized from the university's various data centres, we estimate that nearly 37,000 were fake. We have also found out that the enrolment number for genuine degrees would be different from those for a fake degree. Just a look at the enrolment number is enough to know which degree is fake, while which one is genuine," said the officer.
He said as soon as a student paid money for a degree to any of the national coordinators appointed by chairman Mehta, the student had the luxury of writing examination copies from the comfort of his home. On the basis of a fake evaluation, the degree would be provided.
"We have seized a few such examination copies. We will also interrogate the scrap dealer who used to buy waste papers from the university. It has come up that the university used to dispose of examination copies on a regular basis and a particular scrap dealer used to buy them," said the officer.
SOG said, the accused would provide degrees of university in a matter of a few days after they were paid by students. They used to charge Rs 10,000 to 15,000 for a graduation degree.