<p>The mass resignation of at least 200 guest faculty members from government degree colleges across Karnataka is not an act of accountability; it is an attempt to slip quietly out of a widening scandal. </p><p>The resignations follow a crackdown by the Higher Education Department to verify the authenticity of PhD and MPhil certificates submitted. What has emerged is a damning indictment of institutional failure.</p><p> It is alleged that several candidates submitted counterfeit PhD and MPhil certificates to bypass mandatory qualifications such as the National Eligibility Test or the Karnataka State Eligibility Test. This raises a fundamental question: how were these documents accepted without due verification? It is implausible that such lapses occurred without the complicity of those handling appointments.</p>.<p>These candidates have not only indulged in fraud but have also snatched opportunities from those more deserving. They must not be permitted to go scot-free merely because they have stepped down. A thorough inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is essential to establish how fake certificates were procured, the extent of the racket, and the possible role of university and departmental officers. The most uncomfortable question must also be confronted head-on: did money exchange hands? While Commissioner for Collegiate and Technical Education Manjushree N has said that a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure will be drawn up for future appointments, this is a classic case of locking the stable after the horse has bolted. A similar incident in 2017, which saw 40 assistant professors being debarred for submitting fake documents, should have been a wake-up call. Transparency must be central to reform. Universities should be mandated to publish, on their official websites, verified lists of PhD and MPhil degree holders. All university records relating to mark cards and degree certificates must be digitised. Such a system would not only deter fraud but also help students who have lost documents to obtain them quickly and at low cost.</p>.<p>At the root of the problem is the routine appointment of temporary guest lecturers against existing permanent vacancies. This culture of ad hoc crisis management breeds shortcuts and compromises standards. </p><p>The government must fill teaching posts as and when vacancies arise, instead of allowing backlogs to pile up. Guest faculty should be restricted to genuine industry experts who teach occasionally, not as substitutes for regular teachers. This episode highlights the need for a comprehensive structural overhaul of Karnataka’s education system – one that replaces expediency with integrity and restores public trust through accountability, transparency, and timely governance.</p>
<p>The mass resignation of at least 200 guest faculty members from government degree colleges across Karnataka is not an act of accountability; it is an attempt to slip quietly out of a widening scandal. </p><p>The resignations follow a crackdown by the Higher Education Department to verify the authenticity of PhD and MPhil certificates submitted. What has emerged is a damning indictment of institutional failure.</p><p> It is alleged that several candidates submitted counterfeit PhD and MPhil certificates to bypass mandatory qualifications such as the National Eligibility Test or the Karnataka State Eligibility Test. This raises a fundamental question: how were these documents accepted without due verification? It is implausible that such lapses occurred without the complicity of those handling appointments.</p>.<p>These candidates have not only indulged in fraud but have also snatched opportunities from those more deserving. They must not be permitted to go scot-free merely because they have stepped down. A thorough inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is essential to establish how fake certificates were procured, the extent of the racket, and the possible role of university and departmental officers. The most uncomfortable question must also be confronted head-on: did money exchange hands? While Commissioner for Collegiate and Technical Education Manjushree N has said that a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure will be drawn up for future appointments, this is a classic case of locking the stable after the horse has bolted. A similar incident in 2017, which saw 40 assistant professors being debarred for submitting fake documents, should have been a wake-up call. Transparency must be central to reform. Universities should be mandated to publish, on their official websites, verified lists of PhD and MPhil degree holders. All university records relating to mark cards and degree certificates must be digitised. Such a system would not only deter fraud but also help students who have lost documents to obtain them quickly and at low cost.</p>.<p>At the root of the problem is the routine appointment of temporary guest lecturers against existing permanent vacancies. This culture of ad hoc crisis management breeds shortcuts and compromises standards. </p><p>The government must fill teaching posts as and when vacancies arise, instead of allowing backlogs to pile up. Guest faculty should be restricted to genuine industry experts who teach occasionally, not as substitutes for regular teachers. This episode highlights the need for a comprehensive structural overhaul of Karnataka’s education system – one that replaces expediency with integrity and restores public trust through accountability, transparency, and timely governance.</p>
