Manipur govt cracks down on dubious M.Phil./Ph.D. degrees; issues deadline

In a decisive move to uphold academic integrity and curb the use of fake or questionable degrees, the Government of Manipur’s Higher & Technical Education Department has issued a directive mandating all Government and Government-Aided College teachers to submit and verify M.Phil./Ph.D. certificates obtained from CMJ University, Meghalaya and other institutions.

The directive follows the Supreme Court's judgment dated March 31, 2014, dissolving Chandra Mohan Jha (CMJ) University over irregularities and questioning the validity of its academic credentials. Based on this, the state has taken urgent steps to identify whether any serving teachers obtained higher academic degrees from CMJ University or similar unrecognized institutions.

Teachers holding M.Phil./Ph.D. degrees—particularly from CMJ University—have been instructed to submit their certificates for verification through their respective Principals to the Directorate of Higher & Technical Education by July 10, 2025. Teachers under Dhanamanjuri University and Manipur Technical University must submit documents through their respective registrars within the same timeframe.

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The order also extends to those teachers who had previously used such degrees for career advancements—including promotions under Career Advancement Scheme (CAS), regularizations, and pay increments.

The government warned that failure to submit valid M.Phil./Ph.D. credentials by the deadline would result in the automatic cancellation of benefits, with teachers considered as not holding any such qualifications. In such cases, all privileges and benefits availed on the basis of unverified degrees will be withdrawn without further notice, effective immediately after the deadline.

The move comes amid reports of forged or fake academic credentials being used to secure government posts. Officials highlighted the urgent need to verify whether such degrees were issued by recognized universities or were fraudulently obtained.

The verification process will include consultation with the Education Department of Meghalaya, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and concerned universities across India to establish legitimacy.

The press note, issued by Laishram Dolie Devi, Joint Secretary (Higher & Technical Education), underscores the government’s zero-tolerance approach to academic fraud and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining transparency and meritocracy in the state’s education system.