Congress Member of Parliament Deepender Hooda has raised a major alarm over a critical lapse in accreditation at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) in Rohtak. The university's failure to renew its prestigious NAAC A+ grade on time has led the University Grants Commission (UGC) to declare it ineligible to offer Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and online programmes, throwing the academic future of thousands into jeopardy.
Allegations of Academic Fraud and Leadership Failure
In a strongly-worded statement on Tuesday, Deepender Hooda labelled the university's continued projection of an expired A+ accreditation as a form of academic fraud. He asserted that this incident exposes the deteriorating condition of higher education within the state. The MP pinpointed that MDU's NAAC A+ accreditation officially lapsed on March 27, 2024. Despite this expiry, the institution allegedly kept promoting itself as A+ accredited, a move that has now resulted in severe consequences.
Hooda demanded swift and strict action, calling for the immediate removal of the Vice-Chancellor and other officials found responsible. He also pushed for legal proceedings against those who misled students and the public about the university's accredited status.
Wide-Ranging Consequences for Students and University
The implications of this lapse are profound and multifaceted. Hooda warned that the episode threatens several key pillars of the university's functioning and reputation:
- Student Future: Degrees earned during this period could be clouded with uncertainty, affecting higher education and job prospects.
- Financial Grants: The university risks losing crores of rupees in crucial grants from the UGC.
- Academic Standing: Research projects, national rankings, campus placements, and international collaborations are all likely to suffer a significant blow.
- Programme Ban: Most immediately, UGC has declared MDU ineligible to apply for running ODL and online programmes for the 2025-26 academic session.
University's Defence and the New NAAC Framework
In response to the growing controversy, Maharshi Dayanand University issued a clarification. The university stated that it originally received the NAAC Grade A+ accreditation in 2019 for a five-year period. However, before its expiry, the NAAC announced a new accreditation framework in a public notice on January 27, 2024.
The university claims it decided to apply under this new methodology. Accordingly, it requested NAAC to allow submission of its required documents (IIQA and SSR) as per the fresh guidelines and to permit the continuation of the existing A+ grade in the interim. MDU maintains it has been in regular communication with NAAC since then regarding this transition.
Despite this explanation, the fact remains that the university currently operates without valid NAAC accreditation and is barred from launching new ODL and online courses, creating a crisis of confidence among its student community and stakeholders.
