Face2News/Chandigarh
The Governing Body of DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, has terminated the services of Mandeep Josan, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, with effect from July 3, 2026, bringing to an end nearly 13 years of service rendered on the basis of an invalid Ph.D. degree obtained from CMJ University, Shillong (Meghalaya).
The termination order, issued by Ajay Suri, General Secretary of the College Governing Body, states that the action follows the withdrawal of approval of her appointment by Panjab University and the binding judicial and statutory decisions declaring Ph.D. degrees awarded by CMJ University to be invalid. The order further directed the Officiating Principal, Dr. Mona Narang, to relieve her from service with immediate effect.
Despite the Governor of Meghalaya, in his capacity as the Visitor of CMJ University, declaring the University’s degrees invalid on April 30, 2013, the Panjab University Syndicate derecognizing them on July 27, 2013, the Supreme Court affirming their invalidity on September 13, 2013, and the Government of Meghalaya formally informing Mandeep Josan on March 31, 2014, by registered post that her Ph.D. degree was invalid, she continued to serve as a faculty member until July 2026.
Following the Syndicate’s decision, Panjab University removed all other students and employees holding CMJ University degrees during the 2013–14 academic session. Mandeep Josan, however, remained in service. Questions continue to be raised regarding the role of the then Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Arun Kumar Grover, who approved her appointment, and Dr. B. C. Josan, then Principal of DAV College, Chandigarh, a member of the Panjab University Senate, and father of Mandeep Josan, who allegedly played a key role in facilitating her selection, appointment, and approval.
The matter was relentlessly pursued by Chandigarh- based RTI activist Dr. Rajinder K. Singla, whose sustained RTI applications, complaints, and public campaign brought the issue into the public domain through extensive print and electronic media coverage, as well as debates in the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University. As a result, the University constituted a three-member verification committee headed by Ashok Goyal, which visited Meghalaya to verify the authenticity of CMJ University degrees.
The committee submitted its report on November 29, 2018, and the Panjab University Syndicate accepted it on December 8, 2018 . The report declared the Ph.D. degrees of Mandeep Josan and another faculty member, Gagandeep Singh Brar, to be invalid and recommended civil and criminal proceedings against all those involved in the alleged conspiracy. However, despite these findings, no action was taken by successive University authorities for nearly eight years .
Apprehending the consequences of the findings, Gagandeep Singh Brar resigned from service and subsequently moved abroad . Mandeep Josan, however, continued in service with the alleged support of officials in both DAV College and the affiliating Panjab University.
On July 3, 2026, the DAV Management also terminated the services of Shalika Rani , Assistant Professor of Commerce at DAV College, Jalalabad, and Vinod Kumar , Assistant Professor of Computer Science at DAV College for Women, Ferozepur. Both had also been appointed on the basis of invalid CMJ University Ph.D. degrees and are reportedly relatives of Dr. B. C. Josan .
Reacting to the development, Dr. Rajinder K. Singla described the termination as a significant milestone in the fight against academic fraud and corruption in higher education . He, however, emphasized that the action should not end with termination alone. He called for comprehensive civil, criminal, and departmental proceedings against all individuals responsible for the alleged fraud, abuse of official position, and conspiracy, along with recovery of the public funds paid as salaries and other service benefits to those who secured appointments on the strength of invalid degrees.
Chandigarh
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