A private Indian university has been barred from recruiting Ghanian
students for its distance learning programmes since it is not accredited
in this country. The university is under a cloud back home with a
federal probe likely into its affairs - particularly the awarding of an
extraordinarily high number of degrees - and its chancellor-promoter is
on the run.
The decision of the National Accreditation Board
(NAB) against CMJ University, based in Shillong, the capital of the
northeastern Indian state of Meghalaya, follows investigations that some
foreign institutions without proper credentials had targeted
prospective Ghanaian students in their recruitment drives and in some
cases duped these students by giving them spurious qualifications.
This
is the second private Indian educational institution to be barred in
Africa, after Ethiopia stopped the Sri Sai College from recuriting fresh
students as it had not presented a renewed licence from its partner,
Sikkim Manipal University (SMU).
CMJ University, named after its
chancellor Chandra Mohan Jha, had advertised to recruit Ghanaian
students for its distance learning MBA, pre-MBA, and other post-graduate
programmes beginning in June.
However, NAB said CMJ "claims to
have both institutional and programme accreditation issued by UGC
(University Grants Commission) of India," but it was discoverd that the
institution had neither been registered or accredited by the board in
Ghana.
Accordingly, it cautioned prospective students, employers and the general public not to deal with the institution.
The
statement said that because CMJ has not been recognised in Ghana,
"whatever accreditation it claims to have does not have any effect in
Ghana",adding: "Recruiting agencies or institutions recruiting students
for tertiary education institutions outside Ghana are required to
register with the National Accreditation Board."
It warned that
the promoters or representatives of such institutions, by not seeking
accreditation before attempting to recruit students were in
"contravention" of the laws regulating the activities of tertiary
institutions.
The NAB, therefore, asked CMJ to "cease all advertisement or face appropriate legal actions".
Accordingly,
NAB cautioned the general public to desist from responding to CMJ
University advertisements or enrolling for any of their programmes,
saying: "Any person that does business with this institution does so at
his/her own risk."
"Educational institutions and employers are
also advised to refer all academic and professional qualifications to
NAB for determination of their respective statuses before accepting them
for any form of admission/employment," NAB said.
On Wednesday,
Mukul Sangma, the chief minister of Meghalaya, hinted that the
government may ask India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to
probe the CMJ University's functioning.
"FIRs (First Information
Reports) have been filed in different cities of the country. We are
looking if the case should be handed over to a central agency," Sangma
told journalists after a cabinet meeting.
He said that the
education department has held several meetings after the CMJ fiasco
emerged, adding that additional rules would be introduced for running
private universities in Meghalaya.
The university has created a
record of sorts by awarding Ph.D. degrees to 434 candidates in the
2012-13 academic year and enrolling 490 students for the Ph.D. programme
during 2012-2013, even as only 10 of its faculty members have
doctorates.
"In good faith, the universities were given
permission to operate, but some seem to have taken this for a ride and
this is distressing," Sangma added.
CMJ University hit media
headlines following Meghalaya Governor R.S. Mooshahary - who is also the
visitor of the university - exposing various irregularities in its
functioning.
Meghalaya's Criminal Investigation Department (CID),
which is investigating the alleged lapses of CMJ University, has
unearthed a number of irregularities in its functioning.
The CID has arrested the varsity's registrar, Mrinal Kanti Deb, and his deputy Premlal Rai, on charges of fraud and cheating.
A
lower court in Meghalaya Monday issued non-bailable arrest warrants
against Chandra Mohan Jha and his two associates, Manjeet Kaur and Juban
Kharpuri, in connection with the alleged forgery and irregularities by
the institution.
Jha has gone into hiding.