Verify degrees of MLAs, MPs, Ministers in UP: IAS officer

Faizabad (UP), Jun 12: In the wake of Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar's fake degree and marksheet controversy, Uttar Pradesh's senior most IAS officer today said degrees and educational qualification certificates of MLAs, MPs, ministers and bureaucrats in the state must be re-verified.

"Uttar Pradesh may stand on first position in the cases of fake degrees and many politicians may have to leave their positions they are holding if their degrees were sent for verification," IAS officer Surya Pratap Singh said.

"In the month of May, in Lakimpur Khiri district, 29 physical education teachers were arrested with fake degrees, and for the same post 47 applicants were held in possession of fake BPed mark sheets and 45 with fake BA degrees were held by the police.

"In 2010, in Muzaffarnagar, CBCID arrested 19 government employees of District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) having fake degrees of Lucknow University," he said.

In the running session of Allahabad University, 129 fake degree cases have been unearthed, he said, adding, CBCID have arrested 18 persons holding fake Lucknow University degrees some months ago.

A court of Muzaffarnagar has also issued non bailable warrants against nine LU officials in the same case. In a survey conducted by 'First Advantage' organization, about fifty per cent job seekers come with fake degrees, fake experience certificates and fake identification documents, he said.

According to a conjecture about 2,500 fake universities are in existence and Uttar Pradesh is among the worst reputation state in this matter, Singh added.

PTI