Three days after being accused of peddling fake degrees, including doctorates, the Meghalaya government and the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) today categorically denied the accusations that were levelled by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Sarma made his allegations without providing a shred of proof and this claim follows on from several others that he hurled last year at USTM, against which he appears to have a persistent grudge. In the past, Sarma has accused USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque of obtaining an OBC certificate fraudulently and of the university practising “flood jihad” by cutting hills on campus that Sarma claimed resulted in flooding of Guwahati. He also mandated that USTM graduates seeking jobs in Assam would have to go through an additional round of examinations.
Today, Chief Secretary Donald P Wahlang said USTM is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and supported by the Meghalaya government. “All degrees of USTM are recognised by the UGC. So the charges of fake degrees do not arise,” he said.
The USTM said it “strongly refutes the unfortunate statements” made by Sarma. “USTM with all statutory credentials has been contributing immensely to higher education, research and social welfare since its inception in 2011. Such statements not just defame the university but also question the credibility of the highest statutory and accreditation bodies of the Government of India, which has recognised the quality and educational standard of the university over the years,” the varsity’s public relations officer said in a statement.
The PRO added that USTM has received an A grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2021, is the only private institute in the North East to be ranked among the top 200 universities by the Union Ministry of Education for the last three consecutive years, has been ranked 52nd in the ‘Nature Index’ (an indicator of the quality of research and scientific output) and is constantly being reviewed by the Meghalaya Private University Regulatory Board (MPURB).
“These achievements reflect our commitment to academic excellence and are evidence of the rigorous standards maintained by the university,” the statement added.
USTM, it went on, adheres to the guidelines of the University Grants Commission and its own regulations. The PhD programme follows “a rigorous and transparent research process, often exceeding the standards set by premier institutions” and involves “multiple levels of scrutiny, quality assurance and every level of evaluation is done in presence of an external expert from premier institutions”.
Numerous patents have been awarded, research papers published in reputed journals and students have received prestigious fellowships, etc.
“We categorically reject the unfounded accusations against USTM. Such statements not only tarnish the image of a credible educational institution but also demoralises thousands of students, faculty members and researchers striving for excellence,” the PRO stated. “We urge the Chief Minister to engage in a fact-based discourse, acknowledging the contributions made by USTM towards higher education. USTM remains steadfast in its mission to serve the nation through quality education, research and social empowerment. Further, we openly welcome any inquiry or investigation by any authority for cross-verification of facts and figures.”
