CMJ University given degrees become invalid
SHILLONG: The March 31 decision of the State Education department to dissolve the CMJ University once and for all is another blow to its Chancellor CM Jha, who is now lodged at Sadar police station.
An education department official on Friday said that the Government had dissolved CMJ University on March 31 indicating that the degrees awarded by the University have now become null and void.
The immediate effect of the decision is that those who had been appointed as teachers and other professionals in Meghalaya and elsewhere in the country on the basis of the degrees awarded by CMJ University will become ineligible for the jobs they are doing.
There was a hearing by the education department recently as per the direction of Supreme Court for the students who procured the degrees from CMJ University.
It was based on the Supreme Court order that the Deputy Director of Higher and Technical Education had issued a notices to the students, who had submitted their representation regarding validation of degrees from CMJ University.
However, with the dissolution of the University, the degrees of the students who appeared during the hearing will remain invalid.
Following the recommendation of former Meghalaya Governor RS Mooshahary, as Visitor of the University on June 12 last year for dissolution of CMJ University as per section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009, the State Government had issued show-cause notice to the University on July 4.
The education department, however, found the reply to the show-cause notice as not satisfactory resulting in the dissolution of the University.
Section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009, highlights that “upon identification of mismanagement and mal-administration, the State Government would issue directions for rectification to the University. If the directions are not followed, the State Government can take steps to wind up the University”.
Earlier, the Meghalaya Private University Regulatory Board had also recommended for the dissolution of CMJ University.
The Supreme Court in its September 13, 2013 order while endorsing the stand of Mooshahary for dissolving the University, wanted the State Government to make clear its decision within three months after giving sufficient opportunity to the University to present its views.
The State Government, however, had sought extension of four months before finally dissolving the University by stating that it had received several applications from the students of the University for a clarity on their degrees. Moreover, the students also wanted to know the possibility of their accommodation in other Universities.
The State Government dissolved the University based on section 48 of the CMJ University Act, 2009 and also following the observation of Mooshahary, who had pointed out that from established facts, “it was clear that there has been mismanagement, mal-administration, indiscipline and failure in the accomplishment of the objectives of the University, apart from criminal liability”.