Imphal: A private university in Manipur triggered fresh alarms on November 3, 2026, after issuing a Ph.D. notification containing obsolete government designations. The document directed official copies to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. The federal government rebranded the MHRD as the Ministry of Education in August 2020. The other department ceased to exist as a single entity following a 2006 reorganization.
These administrative blunders cast doubt on the institution’s internal quality controls. The incident follows a long, quiet battle for transparency. An RTI application filed on August 28, 2025, remains largely ignored by state authorities over a year later. The state has approved five private institutions: Asian International University, Manipur International University, Khongnangthaba University, Bir Tikendrajit University, and Sangai International University. Officials confirmed that Sangai International University lost its UGC status on April 15, 2024.
Regulators are currently scrambling to verify credentials. On June 20, 2025, Manipur’s Department of Higher and Technical Education ordered teachers to submit M.Phil. and Ph.D. certificates for scrutiny. The deadline passed on July 10, 2025. This sweep targets qualifications used for career advancement, specifically those linked to Meghalaya’s CMJ University.
The Supreme Court dissolved CMJ University on February 13, 2025, citing massive academic irregularities. Investigators recently uncovered a massive fraud. The Enforcement Directorate reported "findings concerning the issuance of fake degrees in exchange for money." These proceeds of crime hit Rs 83.52 crore. While holding a private degree does not prove wrongdoing, the state’s failure to provide approval records keeps the public guessing. Questions remain about whether degrees are academic achievements or mere commercial products.
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