NU yet to launch probe into wrong mass comm degree case

Nagpur: Two weeks after TOI exposed Nagpur University’s blunder of awarding wrong mass comm degrees, its administration seems reluctant to fix responsibility for it.
After TOI report, pro-vice chancellor Pramod Yeole had sought an explanation from Board of Exam and Evaluation director (officiating) Anil Hirekhan and head of NU Mass Communication Department Dharmesh Dhawankar.
Yeole informed only Dhawankar had submitted a report admitting wrong degrees were awarded to 59 students and that the error needed to be rectified by replacing old degrees with new ones having proper nomenclature.
BOEE director is yet to respond. “Since this episode in not directly related to examination, it couldn’t be referred to Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC). Only VC could take decision about fixing responsibility,” he said.
Vice-chancellor SP Kane told TOI that a probe would be launched after receiving replies from Hirekhan and Dhawankar. Hirekhan told TOI that he was asked to submit a report and not just an explanation. “I submitted a detailed report to the administration, but I can’t disclose its contents as it is confidential. It is now up to NU top brass to decide further course of action,” he said, diverting all further queries to top NU officials.
NU officials said as BOEE director had filed his say, it would be interesting to see whether NU now institutes an inquiry against its officials and punish the guilty. Defending their colleagues, they added that the mismatch happened as software was used for printing degrees when it was called ‘Master of Mass Communication (MMC)’. Since 2010, the name was changed to ‘MA Mass Communication’, which too was done after TOI reported the degrees of BMC and MMC were not as per UGC norms.
Till 2016-17, ‘MA Mass Communication’ degrees were awarded to students, but problem surfaced for two batches after that. The blunder came to fore when students pointed out they were awarded mark sheets with course name MA Mass Communication degree certificates having course name MMC. Only two colleges offer MA in Mass Communication courses — NU Department of Mass Communication and Dhanwate National College (DNC).