The Assam higher education directorate has summoned at least 70 people working as tutors, principals, teachers, and librarians on suspicion of having fake PhDs.
According to reports, a screening committee has been formed in this regard, with the former vice-chancellor of Dibrugarh University, Prof Alak Kumar Buragohain, appointed as chairman. The individuals summoned to appear before the directorate on July 19 have been employed in various government-aided colleges on a fixed salary.
Notably, the state government-formed district-level committees have recommended that their services in regular posts be upgraded.
“Most of them who have been asked to appear for document verification are working as tutors. If their PhDs are found to be genuine, those teachers, working on fixed pay, will clear the hurdles to get posts of assistant professors,” stated Dharmakanta Mili, Director of Higher Education.
He also stated that if they are promoted to assistant professors, their salaries will grow exponentially, paving the way for them to become assistant professors later on.
He added, “These days there are lots of allegations of fake PhDs.We have asked them to appear before the screening committee so that no one can get a regular job by hoodwinking the government. If we find anyone with fake PhDs, the government will take a decision on what action should be taken.”
However, according to the report, the majority of them received their PhDs from private and public-funded universities outside of the state.
