india

Updated: Jan 15, 2019 10:10 IST

At least 200 students of the National Law Institute University (NLIU) , Bhopal, are suspected to have fraudulently obtained their degrees with the help of some staff members of the institute over the years, a probe report by a retired high court judge has revealed.

NLUI is recognised as one of the top law colleges of central India. The judicial probe was initiated last year following allegations that degrees were being sold for lakhs of rupees in NLIU, in 2016.

According to university officials familiar with the matter, the malpractices took place between 1999 and 2016. Many students have got jobs on the basis of their degrees, which, according to the report, were allegedly obtained fraudulently.

The probe report also says that 12 staff members, including a few professors of NLIU, were involved in these malpractices.

The one-member inquiry committee headed by justice (retd) Abhay Gohil submitted the report to the director of the institute last month, said institute officials. The panel conducted the inquiry from June 2018 to December 2018.

Of the 200 students, 80 were allegedly involved in a criminal conspiracy to get their mark-sheets as “successful candidates” although they failed in the final examinations, the probe report said.

The report that recommends criminal action against the guilty will be tabled in the meeting of NLIU executive council on January 19, university officials familiar with the matter said.

“The difference of marks between the marks mentioned in the tabulation sheet and the same in the mark sheets was noticed during the inquiry. Professors concerned should have flagged the matter but they supported the students and staff members [sic],” said the report

Justice (retd) Abhay Gohil said, “The report will be made public only in the meeting so I can’t comment on the same right now. This is true that I found certain malpractices and criminal conspiracy.”

During the inquiry, Justice Gohil handed over the list of students to NLIU registrar Giribala Singh in October last year to give them a chance to present their side.

“Most of the students denied the allegations and said they didn’t know anything. They said the institute had issued degrees and they accepted it. It’s obvious that no one accepts his/her crime so easily. That’s why I have recommended a criminal action,” said Gohil.

The institute’s registrar Giribala Singh said, “In the probe, some of the students who had failed sought to justify the difference between the marks mentioned in the tabulation chart and the same in their mark sheets citing grace marks rule. Ten years ago, a letter had been issued by the institute administration that if a student got pass marks in all the examination papers except one, then he or she could be declared successful with the help of grace marks. Following this order, the authorities issued mark sheets to such students which showed that they had passed but the authorities didn’t do the required changes in the tabulation sheet. We are checking the facts.”

“But most of students couldn’t explain well vis-à-vis the charges against them. I am still preparing the agenda for the meeting. It is a sensitive matter so I can’t say anything more,” she added.

Requesting anonymity, two students, who appeared before the inquiry committee said they had not done anything wrong. “We presented our views in front of the probe committee and hope that justice will be done to us,” said one of them.

Law and legislative affair minister of Madhya Pradesh, PC Sharma, said, “This is a serious matter like Vyapam scam. We will take strict action to save the sanctity of the institute once it comes to our notice formally.”

The malpractice came to light two years ago, when some students lodged a complaint to Chief Justice of MP High Court, who heads the general council of the institute, alleging that the degrees were being sold for lakhs of rupees in NLIU, in 2016.

In March, 2018, a probe committee, which was also headed by justice (retd) Gohil, found students guilty of manipulation of result as they had either failed or were absent during their examination but they were awarded law degrees.