In a shocking incident some Iraq nationals got jobs in their country on the basis of marksheets of the colleges affiliated to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU). The students were never registered with this university. In the first week of June, the Vice Chancellor of RTMNU Dr Subhash Chaudhari received a communication from the Iraq embassy in India seeking information of some students who procured jobs in that country. In the communication the information of 27 students was sought. Of these, 22 were of Bajirao Karanjekar Pharmacy College, Sakoli; 2 each of Bapurao Deshmukh College of Engineering, Sewagram, Wardha and Dr Ambedkar College, Deekshabhoomi. The identity of one student could not be ascertained. RTMNU sent mails to the colleges mentioned in the communication and asked for the information on these students. All the colleges replied saying that the students were never admitted to their institutions. The University forwarded the information to the Iraq embassy. These students had submitted the marksheets of the the colleges at the companies in Iraq to get jobs. On June 14, 2023, a senior official from the Iraq consulate visited RTMNU and discussed the issue.

 

He stayed in the university for the whole day. After the deliberations and detailed checks, the authorities concluded that the marksheets submitted for jobs in Iraq by the students did not belong to the colleges under RTMNU, so they were fake. Dr Subhash Chaudhari told ‘The Hitavada’, “We issued a letter to the embassy confirming that the students whose information was sought by Iraq Government are not students of RTMNU. They were never.” When contacted Brahmanand Karanjekar, President of Karanjekar Pharmacy College said, “We had received an email from Iraq embassy around two years ago asking the information of students who had marksheets of our college. We checked in our system and informed them that they were not our students. Later on they kept seeking authenticity of marksheets of some more students of Iraq. They were not our students.”

 

There was one Principal named Raghu working with Karanjekar College of Pharmacy who had told the Iraq embassy that the students whose information it sought were the students of that college. The management later on removed him and replied the embassy with right information. But why did the Principal tell a lie is a million dollar question.

 

Only varsity can check authenticity The paper that is being used for marksheet is not exclusive like that of currency note. Obviously anybody can prepare the marksheet and use it anywhere. The marksheet’s authenticity can be checked only in university. There are 9 security points on the basis of which the fact can be found out. In Iraq students’ case, university checked whether the students are enrolled with RTMNU or not.

 

CP was unaware Though University is not guilty in the whole episode it should have intimated the police about it, which it did not do, the reasons best known to authorities. When contacted Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar told ‘The Hitavada’, “I am not aware of what has happened in the university. Till now I haven’t received any complaint. I don’t know whether the complaint was lodged in any of city police station or not. If University has not done that then it should do it immediately. Because the case is very serious. Still I shall check with my system whether any information has been received or not.”