Chhattisgarh has launched a significant digital initiative aimed at curbing the issue of fake degrees and enhancing transparency in private higher education institutions. A new portal, cgpurc.cgstate.gov.in, developed by the Chhattisgarh Private Universities Regulatory Commission was launched recently by Governor Ramen Deka at Lok Bhavan.
The new portal make verifying academic credentials more transparent and convenient. Students, parents, employers and other institutions can now access and verify the authenticity of a degree issued by private universities in Chhattisgarh and other academic records. Records of all 21 private universities in the state are available online, saving the need for a trip to the university office. The initiative is part of the government’s efforts to use technology to increase transparency in higher education, protect student interests and strengthen academic accountability among private universities.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said: “Our government is giving the highest priority to students’ futures and the quality of higher education. This system of digital records will give students accurate information while strengthening transparency, accountability and trust in the higher education system.”
A key part of the new system is the digital linking of a student’s academic record from admission through to degree issuance. This is meant to catch irregularities such as degrees issued without a regular admission record or degrees prepared with a backdated entry.
The portal will not stop at listing university names. It will also carry information on the status of individual courses and whether they are validly operating, so students can check a university’s and course’s recognition and approval status before they apply for admission.
Employers stand to benefit too, as verifying a candidate’s degree or academic qualification will no longer require reaching out to the university separately. The online record should make it simpler to check both the authenticity of a degree and the academic record behind it.
Alongside the digital system, monitoring of private universities’ academic activity is also being tightened. Courses with low registrations, poor academic output and other complaints will be reviewed and necessary actions taken. The intent is to make sure a course is backed by sufficient faculty, regular classes, exams, and real academic activity.
The portal also carries information on the fees charged by universities, their serving officials, various committees and their members and PhD research guides. Through this initiative, the state is looking to build a more transparent information system around private higher education institutions and help students make informed decisions before admission.
