PhD fraud row deepens against former MSU vice-chancellor

Vadodara: The controversy over the appointment of former M S University vice-chancellor Vijaykumar Srivastava has intensified after a verification report from Jhansi-based Bundelkhand University confirmed that his PhD certificate is fake.Professor Satish Pathak from MSU's faculty of education submitted representations to the state education department's principal secretary and the MSU registrar on Wednesday, urging immediate legal and disciplinary action, , citing the verification report from Bundelkhand University.Pathak said he had sought verification of the PhD certificate that Srivastava had submitted in an affidavit before the Gujarat high court on July 17. The degree, purportedly awarded in 2000 in organic chemistry by Bundelkhand University's Institute of Basic Science, department of chemistry was declared fabricated by the controller of examinations. "As per their records, the PhD degree was not prepared by the university and was fake, created with malafide intentions," Pathak quoted the university's report as stating.He alleged that Srivastava misled authorities with fraudulent bio-data, fabricated affidavits, and inflated experience claims, leading to his appointment as VC on Feb 10, 2022. Srivastava resigned on Jan 8, 2025, a month before his tenure was due to end.Calling the appointment "void ab initio," Pathak urged authorities to declare it invalid from inception, recover all salaries, perks, allowances, and foreign travel expenses, and verify all his educational qualifications, including his MSc degree. He further demanded an FIR for fraud, forgery, and perjury, and that Srivastava be barred from future academic or public roles.Pathak warned that unless swift action is taken, Srivastava may try to use his tainted tenure to claim pensionary and service benefits.