The Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University. Picture by Puja

Muzaffarpur, Aug. 16: Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur is faced with a unique problem.

It is perhaps the only university in the country to bestow degrees with three different names of the university.

After bifurcating and curtailing jurisdiction of Patna University, the state government created another university and named it Bihar University, which came into existence in 1952, with its headquarter in Patna.

Later, in 1962, the state government shifted its headquarter from Patna to Muzaffarpur. But in 1992, the Bihar University was bifurcated to pave way for creation of Jaiprakash Narayan University, Chapra.

Again in 1993, the state government renamed Bihar University and named it Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University.

Since then, the university is facilitating degrees with three different names of the university and this has landed many students outside the state in a tizzy.

Several passouts had not only been denied of jobs but were also rejected their admission into prestigious institutions when they furnished provisional certificates, marksheets and degrees subsequently carrying various names of a single university.

The Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University is the official name but it is giving out marksheets, migration and other certificates, with two other abbreviated and concise names BRA Bihar University and BR Ambedkar Bihar University.

This has cost dearly to many former students of the university, who paid heavy prices for no fault of theirs.

However, the issue snowballed into a major controversy in 2006 when some senate members of the university raked it up following rejection of admission of several students into prestigious colleges outside the state.

Senate member Tauquir Alam told The Telegraph that several passouts of the university were denied admission into Osmania University, Hyderabad; Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh; Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University after these universities found different names of the same university on the mark sheets and degree certificates.

Another senate member Dr. Arun Kumar Singh said that he too had to procure a certificate for his relative in haste from the registrar when a university in Andhra Pradesh refused admission on technical grounds for two names of the same university.

Moreover, the university is faced with regular phenomenon of providing verification certificate of marksheets, provisional certificates, migration certificate and degrees in case of having two or three names of the same university following confusion over having varied names of the same university.

Fateh Bahadur Singh, an employee of the university said that not a single week passes without chaos. Former students often come to the university to collect verification letters and create a ruckus over the problem.

At least, on an average 100 degrees, certificates, migration certificates and marksheets flood the university every month for verification certificate.

Speaking to The Telegraph, vice-chancellor of the university, Raj Dev Prasad Singh, said: “The issue of three names of the university and distribution of certificates, marksheets and degrees whimsically on either of three names has come into my notice.”

He added even the University Grant Commission has taken a serious note of it.

Necessary instructions have been given to set things straight and the university has been directed to strictly adhere to the name Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar University.

Examination controller A. K. Singh said: “The university has been trying to check issuance of provisional certificates, migration certificates, marksheets, degrees with various names of the university and directives are being given to print degrees and certificates carrying the name Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, only.”