Students use fake papers to enter IDE

The IDE started the verification drive last month after a member of the Management Council (MC) complained about a candidate who had submitted a fake certificate, which she claimed was issued to her by Ramniranjan Jhunjhunwala College, Ghatkopar. The student had completed only the first year of her studies, but was given admission in the third year.

While taking admission at the IDE at the second and third-year levels — either from other universities or colleges — students have to submit Transference Certificates (TCs) andeligibility certificates including No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) and previous year’s marksheets. It was found students were forging these documents to get into correspondence courses. Most cases were from TYBCom, while some were from second year. Such forgeries are cognizable offences and are to be reported to the police.

A university official said IDE initially sent only sample cases of suspected fraud to colleges for verification. “If bogus cases are found, all suspected fake certificates are sent. So far, this has been done only in one college, ie, RJ,” the official said. In the other colleges, all suspected cases haven’t been sent for verification yet.

According to TSY Ram, RJ principal, IDE brought 42 documents to the college for verification, from which the forged cases were found. “There was a newly-printed letter-head using our college’s name. In marksheets, the signatures of principal, vice-principal, and teachers/clerks were forged,” Ram said.

NM College principal MK Desai said fakemarksheets were brought to the college by the university a month ago. Again, the exam committee’s signatures had been forged.

MMK principal GB Daryani added: “I went to the university, where they showed me over three dozen suspected forgeries… I found that 12 of them were fake.” However, he said: “I pointed this out two/three weeks ago, and the university was then supposed to send it to us… it should have come by now.”

At Jai Hind College, Churchgate, principal NW Shivdasani found four bogus cases. “The marksheets showed roll-numbers which never existed and were beyond the stipulated number of students,” he said. Not only that, the college’s name was mentioned wrongly in marksheets; instead of Jai Hind, it was written Jai Hindi College!

University officials said a single outside agency appears to be involved as several bogus marksheets are shown attested by a single special executive officer, irrespective of whether a student is from Andheri or Bandra.

Suspected bogus cases were also sent toLala Lajpatrai College, Haji Ali, Maharashtra College, Bellasis Road and HR College, Churchgate. But no forgeries were found.

With verification yet to be over and hall-tickets for exams already being issued, warning bells are being heard. While university officials say the results can be withheld after verification is completed, sources point out that the university should have started verification much earlier. Also, senior varsity officials allege the university is deliberately going slow on the verification drive as big names are involved.

Moreover, the efficacy of the procedure is in doubt, considering a similar incident in 1995. At that time, the university reported bogus cases found in 76 colleges to the police, and 354 students did not appear for the correspondence exam. However, till date, no action has been taken and no arrests made, sources said.

Officer on special duty at IDE, MS Kambli, said verification would take time “as there are 30,000 students under the IDE.” Pro Vice-Chancellor DrNaresh Chandra only said the university has already started taking action.

University sources added hall-tickets of students with fake documents would be withheld. A case will be registered with the police only after students are given a chance to explain, they said.

Insight

RJ College, Ghatkopar – 19

MMK College, Bandra – 12

Narsee Monjee, Vile Parle – 2

Chinai College, Andheri – 3

Jai Hind College, Churchgate – 4