13-Year Job Ends Over Fake Ph.D.: DAV College Chandigarh Fires Assistant Professor After Degree Declared Invalid
Chandigarh, July 6: In a major action against alleged academic fraud, DAV College, Sector 10, Chandigarh, has terminated the services of Assistant Professor of Computer Science Mandeep Josan after nearly 13 years of employment. The dismissal, effective July 3, 2026, follows the invalidation of her Ph.D. degree from CMJ University, Shillong (Meghalaya).
The termination order, issued by Ajay Suri, General Secretary of the College Governing Body, states that the action was taken after Panjab University withdrew approval for her appointment and in view of judicial and statutory decisions declaring CMJ University Ph.D. degrees invalid. The college also directed Officiating Principal Dr. Mona Narang to relieve her from service immediately.
According to the press note, the Governor of Meghalaya, acting as the Visitor of CMJ University, declared the university's degrees invalid on April 30, 2013. This was followed by the Panjab University Syndicate derecognizing the degrees on July 27, 2013, and the Supreme Court upholding their invalidity on September 13, 2013. The Government of Meghalaya also informed Mandeep Josan by registered post on March 31, 2014, that her Ph.D. degree was invalid. Despite these developments, she continued serving as a faculty member until July 2026.
The statement further claims that after the Syndicate's decision, Panjab University removed other students and employees holding CMJ University degrees during the 2013–14 academic session. However, Mandeep Josan allegedly remained in service. Questions have also been 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 Mandeep Josan's father, who is alleged to have played a key role in her selection, appointment, and approval.
The issue was consistently pursued by Chandigarh-based RTI activist Dr. Rajinder K. Singla, whose RTI applications, complaints, and public campaign brought the matter into the spotlight through extensive media coverage and discussions in the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University. The University subsequently formed 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, invalid and recommended civil and criminal proceedings against those allegedly involved. However, according to the press note, no action was taken for nearly eight years.
The statement further alleges that Gagandeep Singh Brar resigned from his position and later moved abroad, while Mandeep Josan continued in service with the support of officials in DAV College and 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 were allegedly appointed on the basis of invalid CMJ University Ph.D. degrees and are reportedly relatives of Dr. B. C. Josan.
Reacting to the development, RTI activist Dr. Rajinder K. Singla described the terminations as a major step in the fight against academic fraud and corruption in higher education. He said the action should not stop at dismissal alone and called for civil, criminal, and departmental proceedings against all those allegedly responsible, along with recovery of public funds paid as salaries and service benefits to individuals appointed on the basis of invalid degrees.
