IT Exclusive
Imphal, November 8:
The integrity of private university education and regulatory compliance in Manipur have come under renewed scrutiny following the discovery of outdated government designations in a recently issued Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) award notification by a private university established under a State Act.
A critical analysis of a Ph.D. award notification dated November 3, 2026, issued by a private university in Manipur reveals that the university officially routed copies of the degree notification to the “Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)” and the “Department of Secondary & Higher Education.” However, the Central Government renamed the MHRD as the Ministry of Education (MoE) in August 2020.
More than a year after an RTI application sought records relating to private university approvals, the State Government has failed to provide complete and accurate information, even as private universities have moved ahead with awarding Ph.D. degrees, raising questions over regulatory scrutiny and accountability.
Moreover, the reference to the “Department of Secondary & Higher Education” is another serious discrepancy. The Government of India reorganised the department in 2006, separating its functions into the Department of Higher Education and the Department of School Education and Literacy.
The inclusion of outdated central government designations in an advanced research credential raises questions about the university’s internal verification process and standards of institutional administration.
At a time when private university qualifications have faced public scrutiny over alleged irregularities, the use of government designations that became outdated years ago in an official Ph.D. award notification raises further questions about the monitoring and regulatory oversight of private universities.
Such concerns have also arisen in other parts of the Northeast, as seen in the case of CMJ University in Meghalaya, where serious questions emerged over the functioning of a private university and the award of academic degrees.
In its judgment dated February 13, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the Meghalaya Government’s decision to dissolve CMJ University, which had originally been ordered on March 31, 2014. The judgment also referred to the university having reported the award of 434 Ph.D. degrees during 2012-13, bringing its academic activities and compliance with regulatory requirements into focus.
More recently, the Enforcement Directorate, in its investigation into the alleged fake degree certificate case involving CMJ University, reported findings concerning the issuance of fake degrees in exchange for money. The agency quantified the alleged proceeds of crime at Rs. 83.52 crore and continued its investigation. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of strict regulatory oversight, transparency and verification of academic qualifications awarded by private universities.
The issue has also prompted official action in Manipur. On June 20, 2025, the Department of Higher and Technical Education, Government of Manipur, issued a circular memorandum directing teachers serving in government and government-aided colleges to submit their M.Phil. and Ph.D. certificates for verification, particularly those obtained from CMJ University, Meghalaya.
The directive was subsequently extended to teachers of Dhanamanjuri University and Manipur Technical University. The certificates were to be submitted by July 10, 2025, for verification with the concerned universities, the University Grants Commission and other authorities. The screening was also intended to cover degrees used for promotions, regularisation, career advancement and other service benefits.
Beyond the CMJ University case, concerns have also been raised about other private universities reportedly issuing undergraduate and postgraduate certificates, with people from Manipur said to hold qualifications from some of these institutions. These concerns further underline the need for proper verification of academic qualifications and scrutiny of the institutions awarding them.
These developments make it important for the State Government to disclose the approval records of private universities and ensure that their academic programmes and degree-awarding procedures comply with prescribed regulations. Merely holding a degree from a private university, however, does not by itself establish any irregularity.
The latest development assumes significance against the backdrop of an earlier Imphal Times report published on March 24, 2026, titled “Private University Approvals Under Cloud in Manipur”.
While the earlier report dealt with transparency in the establishment and approval of private universities, the latest Ph.D. notification raises a different but related question concerning regulatory compliance after such institutions begin awarding academic degrees.
The two developments have brought the issue of accountability in private higher education in Manipur into focus, particularly the responsibility of regulatory authorities to ensure that institutions fulfil the prescribed academic and statutory requirements.
Amid concerns over alleged irregularities involving various private universities in the state, an RTI application was filed with the Department of University and Higher Education on August 28, 2025, seeking information and official records on the process through which private universities were granted approval by the State Government.
According to information provided by the Directorate of University and Higher Education, the State Government has approved five private universities in the state. The universities are Asian International University, Manipur International University, Khongnangthaba University, Bir Tikendrajit University and Sangai International University. Of these five universities, Sangai International University was delisted from the UGC list of universities on 15.04.2024, the department further informed.
The department further stated that information relating to the evaluation committee reports, approval files and decision-making records would have to be obtained from the Department of Higher and Technical Education.
Of these, only Asian International University was granted approval after the enactment of the Manipur Private Universities Act, 2021, while the remaining four received approval before the Act came into force.
The circumstances under which these five private universities were granted approval before the enactment of the Act remain a matter of concern, particularly as the Government has so far failed to provide the relevant information and records sought to establish the procedures and criteria followed in granting their approvals.
However, more than a year after the RTI application was filed, the concerned department has reportedly failed to provide the complete and accurate information sought. The continued lack of comprehensive disclosure has further raised questions about transparency and accountability in the government’s approval and monitoring of private universities.
The failure to provide the requested information is particularly significant given the public interest involved in ensuring that private universities operate within the framework of applicable laws and UGC regulations.
Questions over their establishment, academic standards and the degrees they award cannot be adequately addressed without transparency from the authorities responsible for regulating them.
The need for transparency and accountability in this matter cannot be overstated, as education is the backbone of society and the credibility of academic institutions directly affects the future of students and the state.
The concerns surrounding the Ph.D. notification also bring into focus a larger question about the credibility of academic degrees awarded by private universities in Manipur. In the absence of transparent approval records and effective government monitoring, questions remain over whether these institutions are functioning strictly within the prescribed legal and academic framework. Concerns over possible irregularities in the award of degrees, including the possibility of academic qualifications being treated as commercial products rather than being earned through genuine research and evaluation, cannot be ignored.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the award of Ph.D. degrees by private universities in Manipur is continuing, extending beyond the notification discussed in this report. The investigation will examine whether the prescribed procedures, academic guidelines and regulatory requirements have been followed in the award of these degrees. Any lapses or violations established through documentary evidence will be brought to public attention in subsequent reports, including the identification of the universities concerned and details of the findings, in the larger public interest.
The Government must disclose the procedures, criteria and supporting documents on the basis of which private universities were granted approval, while ensuring regular and independent scrutiny of their academic activities and the degrees they award. Private universities, too, must uphold academic integrity and ensure that no irregular or unlawful practices compromise the value of qualifications awarded to students. Education is the foundation of society, and protecting its credibility requires transparency, effective government oversight and accountability from every institution involved.
