Conferring PhD Degrees: HC questions whether univs are following rules

The High Court yesterday wanted to know whether public and private universities are conferring PhD and equivalent degrees to students properly following rules and regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The court ordered the UGC to inquire into this issue and submit a report to it in three months.

At the same time, the court directed the Dhaka University’s vice chancellor to inquire into the reported allegation against one of its teachers of earning his doctorate degree submitting a 98 percent plagiarised dissertation, and to submit a report before the court in 60 days.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Md Moniruzzaman Linkon, seeking necessary orders.

He submitted the writ petition on January 26, based on a report published on the web version of Bangla daily Prothom Alo on January 21, which said 98 percent of the doctoral thesis of DU Associate Prof Abul Kalam Lutful Kabir of medicine technology department was not an original work.

Yesterday, the HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take steps to scrutinise thesis proposals by IT experts before finalising theses of students, in order to prevent forgery in achieving PhD and equivalent degrees.

The education secretary, UGC chairman and DU VC and others concerned have been made respondents to the rule.

Deputy Attorney General Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar represented the state.