Patna: The election of Patna University Students' Union (Pusu) is turning out to be a major controversy with winning office-bearers likely to face the music owing to alleged submission of forged educational documents.

While the three-member committee, headed by Patna University pro-vice-chancellor Dolly Sinha, is scrutinising the degree of newly elected Pusu president Divyanshu Bhardwaj, a fresh controversy has erupted over the degree of Pusu vice-president Yoshita Patwardhan.

Members of various students' bodies have approached PU vice-chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh accusing Yoshita Patwardhan of failing in her undergraduate Part I examination.

"We have come to know that Yoshita failed in her undergraduate Part I examination. Then, how could she contest the election?" asked Jan Adhikar Chhatra Parishad presidential candidate Gautam Anand.

The Pusu election, which was held after a gap of five years, was held as per Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.

"According to the recommendations, it has been mentioned that candidates contesting elections must have 75 per cent attendance and must not have failed in any semester or year. But in Yoshita's case, she failed in her first year," added Gautam.

For checking the degree and educational qualification of Yoshita, the university has formed a separate committee.

Meanwhile, the committee formed to probe the degree of Pusu president Divyanshu Bhardwaj has sought his degree and other certificates of Himalayan University, Itanagar.

Committee member Kriteshwar Prasad said: "Based on the demand of student leaders, the committee members went through the degrees of Divyanshu Bhardwaj. We have asked the Pusu president to submit his certificates of Himalayan University and the migration certificate from Himalayan University."

Prasad said: "Action will taken against him if we find discrepancies in his degree." Pro-VC and committee head Dolly Sinha echoed Prasad.

Divyanshu has been accused of taking admission in the postgraduate department by submitting fake degrees. Divyanshu had taken admission for undergraduate course in BN College but he failed in the first and second years.

He also took admission in a distance-learning course at a university in Itanagar without taking college leaving certificate and migration from BN College.