In its 157-year history, the University of Mumbai is for the first time withdrawing any degree already awarded.
The university has decided to withdraw the LLB and LLM degrees of former lecturer Chitra Salunkhe, awarded in 2000 and 2002 respectively. The decision was taken in the academic council meeting on Wednesday, through votes.
Chitra Salunkhe was the vice principal of Siddharth Law College, Fort. She was accused of producing a fake BA degree from Kakatia University, Andhra Pradesh (1989-90) for admission in the LLB course at University of Mumbai. She later joined Siddharth Law College as lecturer and also completed her LLM.
In 2007, the college’s ex-principal Ashok Inamdar filed a petition in the high court regarding Salunkhe’s fake BA degree.
It was stated in court that there was no such student named Chitra Salunkhe in 1988-89, in Kakatia University. The style and format of her degree was also different from the usual.
Chitra Salunkhe, working as a tutor now, had no clue that her case was being discussed in the council on Wednesday. She told DNA, “The varsity has no right to do this. After 19 months of inquiry into my case, justice PS Patankar gave his judgement on April 1, 2009, stating that I had not committed any fraud. But the varsity did not accept his report.”
She said, “I lost my job, honour, everything. But I still have faith in the judiciary.”
Two degrees
Academic council has agreed to give its nod to two graduate courses at the same time. A student can now pursue two degrees simultaneously, like BE in one college and BA in another from the academic year 2012-13.
Credit system for all PG courses also got council approval. It means all MCom, MSc and MA courses will have credit system from next the academic year. Both the decisions, need management council nod.
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