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Cops bust Rs 1.5 cr fake degree racket run by PhD holder "Name any course and you will get a degree from a recognised university." The Gomtinagar police operation on Dec 21, which led to the exposure of a well, oiled interstate racket, was a surprise to everyone. The gang allegedly made academic qualifications easily available. Job seekers got fake degrees and marksheets from the gang, which was led by the kingpin, a PhD holder, and was highly educated. The eastern zone crime and surveillance team of Lucknow police arrested three men accused of running the fake degree syndicate. 

"The investigation of the case which was initially presumed to be simple led to the discovery of a large- scale forged academic document supply network, " said Shashank Singh, deputy commissioner of police (East). Besides, the police have recovered 923 forged marksheets and degrees from at least 25 universities, along with 15 forged university seals, laptops, hard disks, printers, registers, and Rs 2 lakh in cash. An FIR was registered at the Gomtinagar police station under various sections of the BNS.

The police arrested three individuals who were identified as Akhilesh Kumar. He has a PhD in sociology from a private university in Odisha. Satendra Dwivedi (32) has an MSc in chemistry from a government university in Kanpur, and Saurabh Sharma (35) holds a diploma from a private institute. The police said the gang that investigators were after, was charging anywhere between Rs 25, 000 and Rs 4 lakh for 'ready, made' degrees, depending on the course and the credibility of the university. The courses included BTech, BCA, MCA, MSc, and BA. 

"The accused targeted candidates who were not eligible for jobs or higher education, " the DCP said. "They also assured fake degrees that look real and can pass verification." According to assistant commissioner of police, Gomtinagar, Brij Narayan Singh, the certificates were so well made. The police fabricated documents in the names of different institutions like Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, North East Christian University, Maharaja Agrasen Himalayan Garhwal University, Kalinga University, JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth and Sabarmati University. The arrest of various digital devices and financial records indicates the existence of detailed client lists and payment trails. "We are going through the digital information to find the beneficiaries who used fake degrees to get jobs, " said a senior officer.

HR experts say such rackets thrive because many private companies rely solely on submitted documents. Police are coordinating with universities and employers to trace forged documents already in circulation.

Fakir Mohan University (FMU), Balasore, is set to broaden its academic horizon by introducing Integrated Teacher Education Programmes (ITEP) after getting the green signal from the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE). The university will be inaugurating four, year integrated programmes for BA BEd and BSc BEd, as per the sanctioned plan, featuring an intake of 50 students per course. Fakir Mohan University is thus elevated to the status of a pioneer institution in the state, alongside IIT Bhubaneswar, offering ITEP courses. 

The ITEP is a restructured model forom students seeking a career teaching, proposed by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Through the programme, the students get the opportunity to learn the subject in combination with pedagogy, educational psychology, and practical training. The goal is to enhance the standard of teacher education and to equip the new generation of teachers with the skills to face the changing demands of the classroom. In order to arrive at the decision, the NCTE team of experts inspected the site in detail at Fakir Mohan University. The survey was concentrated on infrastructure, academic readiness, faculty strength, and institutional capability to implement the programme as per the national standards.

The courses will be offered through the School of Education at the university’s Old Campus and are scheduled to commence from the academic session 2026–27.

Vice-Chancellor Santosh Kumar Tripathy said that all required teaching and non-teaching staff have already been appointed to ensure smooth academic and administrative functioning of the programmes. He added that the university is fully prepared to implement the curriculum as prescribed by regulatory authorities.

Admission into the ITEP programmes will be through the National Testing Agency (NTA), and candidates have to appear for the test in online mode. The university has stated that complete information on eligibility criteria, admission procedures, and timelines would be made available soon on its official website and in the leading newspapers.

The ITEP at Fakir Mohan University is anticipated to not only increase the availability of standard teacher education in the area but also to help produce a teaching workforce that is professionally trained and in line with the education reforms at the national level.

On 21st July, 2023, a public commemoration for the late Mr. N Vinaya Hegde, who was the founding member of Nitte Group of Educational Institutions and Chancellor of Nitte Deemed University, was held at Sharada Vidyalaya, Mangaluru at the request of the Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese, Rt Rev Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha.

The Bishop presented a floral tribute to Mr.Vinaya Hegde and spoke of the many ways he exemplified true humility, saying: "Mr.Vinaya Hegde was true to his name". The Bishop encouraged those in attendance to follow Mr.Vinaya Hegde's example and make it their own as they work on behalf of the nation. He prayed for peace to the departed soul.

Ex, Vice Chancellor Prof B.A. Viveka Rai said that it was Vinaya Hegde who made Nitte not just a small village but a successful education hub. He said that through the institutions Hegde had set up, thousands had found the right path which resulted in a huge educational revolution along the coast. He said the locality had lost a great leader and that there is no one to take Vinaya Hegde's place and urged people to take his values in their own lives.

Kanchuru Educational Institutions Chairman U.K. Monu reminisced about his association with Vinaya Hegde for the last 25 years and mentioned that Hegde was always a source of support without expecting anything in return. Monu said Hegdes contributions were instrumental in the advancement of their institution. Tribute to Vinaya Hegde were paid by MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Prof M.B. Puranik, Prabhakar Sharma (retired ADC), and Capt Ganesh Karnik (ex, Legislative Council member), among others. In addition to these, a number of dignitaries gathered for the occasion, such as Karnataka Bank Chairman Raghavendra S. Bhat, Nitte University Vice, Chancellor Dr Satish Kumar Bhandary, Mangaluru Diocese PRO Roy Castelino, Kasapa president (ex.) Harikrishna Punaroor, Karnataka Bank chairman (ex.) Mahabaleshwara M.S., MLC (ex.) Monappa Bhandary, Mayor (ex.) M. Shashidhar Hegde and many more. The vote of thanks was delivered by Pradeep Kumar Kalkoor who also greeted the gathering. Dayananda Katilu was the master of ceremonies for the programme.

In a bid to curb male student dropouts and promote higher education, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the 'Babu Asoni' scheme on January 1, 2026, offering monthly financial aid exclusively to boys pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Postgraduates will receive Rs 2,000 per month, while graduates get Rs 1,000, credited directly to their bank accounts starting February 1.

The initiative targets families with annual incomes below Rs 4 lakh, excluding children of government employees to prioritize the underprivileged. First-year students in recognized Assam institutions qualify automatically, with applications set to open soon via a dedicated portal. Sarma highlighted the scheme's role in easing financial pressures amid rising education costs, mirroring the success of the 'Nijut Moina' program for girls, which provides similar stipends—Rs 1,000 for higher secondary, Rs 1,250 for UG, and Rs 2,500 for PG or BEd.

This male-focused scheme builds on Assam's aggressive push for gender-balanced education incentives. Since 2024 many thousands of girls have enrolled through "Nijut Moina" and have decreased child marriage rates by 30%. Parallel dropout trends of boys within rural/low-income families will also be addressed by "Babu Asoni". In the first year, officials estimate coverage of over 100,000 beneficiaries using funds from the State's Welfare budget.

Many Educationist agree that this is an excellent opportunity, but they want to ensure that it is monitored to prevent abuse and is integrated with Skill programs (such as Vocational Training). The Dean of a University in Guwahati stated, "This could be a game changer for Equity, but the sustained impact will require that Counseling accompanies Cash." Assam's goal is to have 100% Gross Enrollment by 2030, and this approach could set a National Example for Targeted Aid and Funding. However, critics point out that this is creating a Gender Divide; therefore, they advocate for Unified Support. Implementation challenges like Aadhaar-bank linkages remain, but early registrations are pouring in.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an institution that has been traditionally known for the production of school textbooks and curriculum design, may soon transition to a different institutional role. According to sources from the Ministry of Education, NCERT is going to be granted deemed, to, be, university status by the end of January, ANI reports.

The decision has already been almost finalized, and the University Grants Commission is expected to take it up in its upcoming meeting. "The preparation has been done. The UGC has to hold a meeting to make a decision. We are hopeful that once the next meeting takes place, the update will come by the end of the month, " a source told ANI.

The proposal is not new. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had announced the plan in 2023, describing the move as a way of making NCERT a research, focused institution that could collaborate with foreign academic institutions and contribute more actively to the international education ecosystem.

What NCERT is today?

NCERT is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education. Its mandate sits firmly at the school level. It designs national curricula, publishes textbooks used across central and state board schools, conducts educational research and supports teacher training. While being influential, NCERT is not a university. It does not award degrees, conduct independent postgraduate programmes or operate as a higher education institution. Its authority is based on being a policy unit, rather than on academic accreditation. Deemed university status would mean a change in that hierarchy. What deemed, to, be, university status means Universities in India are recognised by the University Grants Commission under the UGC Act, 1956. Deemed, to, be, university is a special category only for those institutions, which on the strength of academic record in a particular area, are recommended by the UGC and given approval by the Central Government. The number of such institutions with deemed university status is about 145 as per the information on the UGC website. The Indian Institute of Science was the first institution to be conferred with this status in 1958, whereas at present, Tamil Nadu has the largest number of such institutions.

After being granted this status, NCERT will be able to operate as a research university with full autonomy. As per ANI, this will enable it to begin expanded in, house research programmes without any external collaboration and formally enter higher education and doctoral training.

Additionally, NCERT will have the authority to grant its own degrees, thus greatly extending its institutional footprint beyond school education. This not only places it differently in India's education system but also creates a scenario where bodies that design school curricula and those that award higher education degrees have traditionally remained separate.

According to the ANI report, it is anticipated that most of the financing will still be provided by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education. That information is important because it indicates that NCERT's academic diversification will be still embedded in the school education sector and not taken over by the higher education sector.

Why the move matters ?

The proposal exemplifies a wider policy change under the National Education Policy which supports research, oriented institutions and integration across different levels of education. In effect, NCERT being turned into a deemed university would mean that one institution absorbs the authority of curriculum, the capacity for research, and the power to grant degrees. The change of the university status modifies the governance, accountability and academic power. 

What happens next?

The final call is with the UGC and it would need an approval from the Central Government as well. In case of a positive decision, NCERT will be among the institutions which enjoy considerable autonomy in Indias higher education system. The transition for an organisation that has, through its publications, influenced the education of students for years, from indirectly impacting education to formally awarding degrees and producing research, is quite significant. The consequences will not only be seen in universities but also in the way school education policy is researched, trained and revised. At present, the proposal is poised for a meeting and once it is approved, it would change permanently what NCERT is allowed to be.

In its effort to produce students that are sensitive to the society and possess the skills of communication and are well informed, the Rajasthan Government has ordered all the government schools to include in their daily programme a 10 minute newspaper reading session. This new regulation targets at helping the students understand the happenings in the world around them, thus, improving their language skills and inculcating the habit of reading from an early age.

According to guidelines issued by the School Education Department, newspaper reading will be integrated into the daily school routine and conducted during the morning prayer assembly. The directive specifies that higher secondary government schools must subscribe to at least two newspapers—one in Hindi and one in English. Government higher primary schools are required to order two Hindi newspapers, while English-medium government schools must ensure the availability of both Hindi and English dailies.

School Education Department Secretary Krishna Kunal, in the official order, stated that students will read major editorials, important national and international news, and sports reports. To enhance vocabulary and comprehension, five new words along with their meanings will be introduced daily. Students from Classes 6 to 12 will actively participate by reading selected news items and editorials aloud, encouraging confidence, articulation, and public speaking skills. Students assigned the reading duty will be required to arrive at school 30 minutes earlier to prepare for the session. On designated ‘No Bag Days’, schools will organize mass discussions on current government initiatives and key issues, turning news consumption into interactive learning.

Education officials pointed out that the program is aimed at enticing students to take an interest in the news and public affairs, extend their general knowledge and improve their language skills. "It will definitely have a positive influence on students' social awareness, prepare them for competitive exams and help them acquire the skill of critical thinking, " a spokesperson of the Department said.

Secretary Krishna Kunal also pointed out that the new academic initiative is one of many that are designed to nurture a lifelong reading habit, which in turn, will develop students into aware, thoughtful, and self, confident citizens. With newspapers being a regular feature in classrooms across the state, Rajasthan is not only upgrading the educational system but also emphasizing schools' indispensable role in the intellectual and social development of the young, who consequently become more in sync with the world surrounding them.