In a shocking turn of events, over 300 students from MIT Academy of Engineering (Alandi) who had successfully completed their Computer Science and IT BTech examinations were handed Civil Engineering degree certificates during the 122nd convocation ceremony at the SPPU Indoor Stadium. The incident has sparked a blame game between the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and MIT, with neither institution willing to take responsibility for the grave error. As the affected students and their parents grapple with uncertainty about their future, both SPPU and MIT officials have failed to assure them that the mistake will be rectified promptly.
The timing of this unfortunate incident couldn’t be worse, as it coincides with the admission season. This careless and colossal error in an important document could have severe consequences for the students, potentially jeopardizing their educational and career prospects. Rectifying the mistake or issuing the correct certificates will undoubtedly take time, leading to unnecessary delays in their further education.
While the SPPU bears the responsibility for printing the degree certificates, both the institute and its students share a degree of responsibility since they are given the opportunity to verify the credentials before the documents are sent for printing.
Mahesh Goudar, the principal of MIT Academy of Engineering, confirmed the error, stating, “It is true that wrong degree certificates have been allotted by the SPPU. We have submitted an application to the Controller of Examination for details and requested an expedited solution. I will refrain from making further comments at this time.”
Representing the university’s standpoint, Mahesh Kakade, SPPU Director of Examination and Evaluation, clarified, “There are more than 40 autonomous colleges. We have already cross-verified 36,000 degree certificates before printing. While we possess semester-wise data for each student in affiliated colleges, we lack data from autonomous colleges. Based on the information entered by the colleges, we print the degree certificates. Prior to printing, we sought confirmation from the students and the college administration. However, after the certificates were printed, no complaint was filed by the MIT Academy of Engineering administration. How can they now blame the SPPU?”
An anonymous BTech student revealed that in April, the SPPU had sent a link for applying for final degree certificates. “Over 300 students registered their information on that link. BTech students in Computer Science and Information Technology received the correct mark sheets, but they were handed Civil Engineering degree certificates.”
The student further added, “When we approached the MIT college administration, they claimed it was the SPPU examination department’s mistake. We don’t know who is at fault, but many of us are trying to secure admission for MTech or applying to foreign universities. What are we supposed to do now? The SPPU must urgently rectify the certificates.”
Ajinath Vidhate, a parent of a BTech student, expressed his frustration, saying, “When I visited the college with my son, they blamed the SPPU. However, when I went to the SPPU Examination Department, they informed me that immediate corrections were not possible and asked me to return the following week. My son needs to enroll in an MTech program. Is it his fault?”
Krishna Raghunath Bhandalkar, a member of the SPPU Senate, emphasized, “The university’s examination department must meticulously plan examinations, result declarations, and other related processes. Cases like these are seriously damaging the university’s credibility. The examination department should not evade responsibility by citing technical errors. A thorough investigation must be conducted to prevent such grave and unforgivable mistakes in the future.”
Efforts to contact SPPU Vice-Chancellor Suresh Gosavi and Director of Examination and Evaluation Mahesh Kakade for comments on the issue were unsuccessful.
With no immediate solutions in sight, the affected students and their parents find themselves caught in a frustrating ordeal, desperately seeking corrections to their certificates. The duration of this process remains uncertain, leaving them anxious about their future.
