A recent TOI article unveils the UP B.Ed. degree scam, with nearly 2000 primary teachers holding fake B.Ed. degrees. Around 30 colleges were found out to be involved in this fraud, supported by the senior staff. Mark sheets were held out to people who were not even enrolled. Many holding these fake mark sheets were also employed in govt. schools. The fraudulent incident came to light when Sunil Kumar, a student of Shiv Dhaam Singh College, Aligarh, affiliated to BR Ambedkar University, filed a petition in the Allahabad high court seeking action. Falsified information was provided to him by the university. He enrolled for the B.Ed. programme and received two different results. The erroneous mark sheet dethroned him off good job opportunities.
Diploma mills: The Seed of birth to Education verification
Diploma mills are spreading out like wildfire as an easy means to a decent job. These fake institutions issue fake certificates to students in lieu of money, creating gaps in an efficient education system & delivery. Fake degrees by fake institutions is only the tip of the iceberg. These fake degrees pad the resumes which are later utilized as work passes to potential jobs. Diploma mills pose a challenge for education certificate verification as well but conducting it can help to avoid such a sham act by fake universities/authorities. There’s a greater need for stiffer policies to verify fake degrees and fake institutions with education verification. Background verification companies deal with diploma mills every day and are experts on spotting the fakers.
Smart background checks essentially constitute criminal checks
Yes, employers could carry out smart background verifications, but the reality is that until consumer education catches up with the renown of diploma mills, such checks are irrelevant and usually incomplete. The task of checking educational credentials demands personal attention. Employers must make phone calls and crosscheck institution credentials with those of official sources such as the Department of Education and the FTC.
A better practice is to outsource the same to expert background verification companies who bring years of expertise and domain knowledge on board. This also adds to productivity. It’s time to uncover diploma mills and knock out fake degrees ruining careers and companies. With little in the way of oversight or standards, there is no way to discover whether an institution is legitimate or not. How secure are we if one of the employees gets promoted, thanks to her degrees from a diploma mill? When all the evidence is in, perhaps the best defense in the fight against the diploma mill scam is consumer education and awareness.
The power of the Internet has created an important avenue for higher education. It has also opened the door to potential fraud and scams. The first step is to screen the candidate to verify his/her academic credentials. If questions or concerns exist, dig deeper, ask questions, and do some research. Protect your organization from the potential exposure that may occur from hiring employees who lack the required educational and professional credentials for the job. A competitive job market implies deeper due diligence.
These fraudulent institutions specialize in duping employers and sometimes even their “students” into believing they offer legitimate education programs when really the only degree they should be handing out is a Master in Deceit. If you’re hiring for a rank with education criteria and you don’t want to take a chance when hiring your new employee, consider using a professional background screening company to conduct an education verification. Are you doing so?
