VIVEK SHARMA
JAMMU: Though Jammu University has clarified that Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP) is neither recognised by UGC nor by it, for not being a member of the Association of Indian Universities yet Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered that Moalim-e-Urdu degree awarded by Jamia Urdu Aligarh will be equivalent to Bachelor of Education degree awarded by the University of Jammu and University of Kashmir.
The move is seen as a brazen attempt to justify the promotions of 400 fake degree holders, mostly from Rajouri-Poonch area, who were elevated from Teachers to Masters on the basis of these degrees. Two FIRs have already been registered to probe the controversial promotions in the Department of Education.
The University of Jammu vide its letter No PIO/JU/14/10933 dated 30th March 2014 had clearly stated in a RTI application that “Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP) is neither recognised by UGC nor University of Jammu. “This university is also not the Member of Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi.”
On the basis of this RTI, two FIRs were registered against several senior functionaries of the Education Department including two IAS and three KAS officers for promoting a large number of teachers on the basis of alleged fake B. Ed degrees.
The JU’s RTI reply clearly stated “The University of Jammu recognizes the degrees of such of the institutions recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Jamia Urdu Aligarh is not recognized by UGC and hence not recognized by the University of Jammu.”
However, the government order issued by the Higher Education Department on March 8, 2017, states ” in view of the similarities in curriculum, content and scheme, it is hereby ordered that Moalim-e-Urdu degree awarded by Jamia Urdu Aligah is equivalent to Bachelor of Education (B.ED) degree awarded by State Universities of Jammu and Kashmir.”
As per list issued by the Director School Education Jammu vide No. SEJ/NG/M/Prom./7255/681 dated 11th February 2014, 1193 teachers were promoted as Masters. Of these over 400 teachers were reportedly promoted on the basis of B.Ed degrees obtained from Open Universities through distance-mode particularly from Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP).
Many teachers who were enrolled in B.Ed course for the session 2012-13 in Kashmir/Jammu University were deliberately left.
The promotion orders were issued on 11th February 2014 without waiting for the results of Kashmir and Jammu Universities, which were declared on 22nd February 2014 and 15th March 2014 respectively.
The scam came to fore when credentials of the Jamia Urdu Aligarh (UP) came under scanner after the Rajouri Police conducted a raid during the examinations on 28th December 2013. The police had seized the records.
Thirteen candidates, all government teachers, appearing for examination, were nabbed while others had managed to escape. During investigation, it was established that the Centre was affiliated to Jamia Urdu Aligarh University of UP and the government teachers of Poonch and Rajouri area were appearing in the paper. Interestingly, the exam was to be conducted at 10:00 AM that day but the organisers chose 10:00 PM for obvious reasons.
FIR 98/2013, under Sections 409/120-B/420 and 2/3 RPC was registered against them at Rajouri.
The records revealed that some teachers were promoted as masters on B.Ed degrees from PRIST University, Tamil Nadu, MDV Rohtak University, Maghad University, Kota Raja University, Rajasthan, Ruhlekhand University, Gulburga University, Gujarat, HSS Paryog University, Gurukul Mathra University, BSP University, UP and Jamia Urdu Aligarh.
