As one controversy over fake degrees rages in the Capital, another one seems to be in the making with applicants approaching Delhi University colleges with Class 12 certificates from an education board that doesn’t exist.
This reporter met two such students at a DU college who had certificates issued by the “Higher Secondary Education Board Delhi”. Delhi, however, has no education board of its own. Most schools in the Capital are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
The certificate — a snapshot of which is with HT – can pass off for an authentic document and even mentions “Recognised by Government of India and registered by Directorate of Education Government of Delhi”.
The students, however, were informed by authorities at Hansraj College and Shyam Lal College that the board which issued them the certificates figures on a list of fake education boards put up by the Delhi University on its website. The suspect board figures on the DU list as the Board of Higher Secondary Education Delhi.
“We just advise students to check this (list) before applying. If the student presents it (the certificate) at the time of verification (for admission), it would be a police case,” said a senior university official. There was no police involvement on Saturday as the students had not formally applied for admission but were generally enquiring with officials after failing to clear the required cutoffs.
{{/usCountry}}“We just advise students to check this (list) before applying. If the student presents it (the certificate) at the time of verification (for admission), it would be a police case,” said a senior university official. There was no police involvement on Saturday as the students had not formally applied for admission but were generally enquiring with officials after failing to clear the required cutoffs.
{{/usCountry}}One student said he had paid Rs 30,000 to “register” with the suspect board after which he was allotted an examination centre in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
“My centre was at Baghpat so I had gone to give my test. However, they told me that I also had the choice to not give the exam… Still I gave my exam and scored 88%,” said the student.
The so-called Higher Secondary Education Board Delhi has a fully operational website of its own which mentions an office address in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri. The website claims that several schools in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Uttar Pradesh are affiliate to the board.
“The office operates in one small room at Vikaspuri and the people there were also very weird. I had doubts the first time I went there,” said the student, adding he had to drop a school year because of an accident and came to know of the board through acquaintances.
HT tried contacting the phone numbers mentioned on the board’s website but the calls went unanswered.
The Capital is already witnessing a fake degree row with AAP leader and former Delhi law minister Jitender Singh Tomar in jail, facing charges of faking his BSc and law degrees.