Guwahati, Aug. 16: School and college teachers in Assam with requisite degrees from CMJ University in Meghalaya are likely to lose their jobs.

Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government has already moved files to initiate punitive actions against headmasters of schools and faculty members of colleges who have BEd and PhD degrees from CMJ University.

“Since all those degrees are fake and not approved by the University Grants Commission, there is no question of retaining such faculty members in the state’s educational institutions. Retaining such teachers will be a compromise on quality education,” Sarma told reporters here today.

In June, the then Meghalaya governor R.S. Mooshahary asked the state government to wind up the private university.

Sources said the governor had accused the university authorities of mismanagement, misadministration, indiscipline and failure in the accomplishment of objectives of the university, apart from the criminal offence of issuing fake degrees to thousands of students.

The ramifications of the CMJ University’s problems have also been felt in Assam as many students from the state had taken admission into the university seeking degrees in different disciplines, including PhD and BEd.

“Headmasters of schools who have fake BEd degrees from CMJ University may not sacked if their other degrees are found to be genuine. They may face demotion in their service. But college teachers who have PhD from the university would be sacked after an official procedure and inquiry. Apart from the education department, other government departments like personnel will be involved in the process,” the education minister said.

The department will come out with an effective policy to crack down on fake universities and other institutions of higher education in the state, Sarma added. He said the state government would monitor the functioning of private universities to prevent a repeat of the CMJ University fiasco.

“Degrees given out by private universities will not be recognised by the state government while making teacher appointments and other academic assignments. Any private university, which sets up their campus in Assam, must acquire UGC approval within three years from the date of establishment. The university must secure a minimum of “B” grade from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council,” Sarma said.

The minister also announced the results of the special Teacher Eligibility Test for Shiksha Mitra for lower primary and Middle English schools.

The teachers, known as Shiksha Mitra, were appointed on contract basis by Axom Sarba Siksha Abhijan in the last few years to run centres under the education guarantee scheme, and they have been demanding regularisation of their services. The centres, designed as Amar Parhasalis in the state, were established in pockets which did not have a lower primary school.