The issue of fake certificates being used for employment in India and abroad has begun to increasingly worry universities in the State.
The universities find themselves in a position not to take any action against fraudulent players because they do not directly deal with the job applicants and companies do not share information of fake certificate holders. The introduction of digital signature and hologram in Calicut University in recent years, for example, has not helped to check the use of fake certificates. The number of fake certificates of Calicut University used for employment purposes rather steadily increased in
the last five years.
When only three fake cases were detected in 2012, the number of fake cases increased to 26 in 2013, 36 in 2014, and 38 in 2015. Fifteen fake certificates of the university were detected so far in the current year.
The issue of fake certificates is almost the same in other universities in the State, said agencies involved in certificate verification.
But the number of fake degree certificates of Calicut University used for jobs abroad was more than that of other universities. “It may be because of the demand for our degrees,” said a senior officer of the university.
No case has been booked over fake certificates, though the university detected 118 forged documents in the last five years. University authorities said that the involvement of an outside agency for certificate verification deprives the university the opportunity to
catch and book the fraud players. When an applicant submits the certificates for a job, the company refers the document to certified agencies for verification. The agency then sends the document to the university to ascertain its veracity.
If the certificate is found fake, neither the university nor the agency will be able to reach the applicant as the company drops the matter there.
