Education Dept struggles to check fake certificates

Illegal practice

• November 3, 2015: Sandeep Singh's Class XII certificate sent by SSP, Sangrur, to PSEB for verification declared fake
• January 25: Gurmeet Singh's Class X certificate sent by Colonel, Director Recruiting, Army Recruiting Office, Ferozepur, for verification found fake
• February 10: Jagjeevan Singh’s Class X certificate sent by CRPF Ajmer for verification declared fake
• February 10: Navtej Singh’s Class X certificate sent by Economic Offences Wing of Muktsar Police PSEB was found to be fake
• February 23: Harjinder Kaur’s Class X certificate sent by Deputy Commissioner Tarn Taran for verification declared fake

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Muktsar, March 3

With the submitting of fake Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) certificates for employment becoming a regular feature, the authorities concerned as well as employers are getting apprehensive about the trend.

Sources in the Education Department said a huge network was involved in making fake certificates in the state, but it remained to be unearthed.

They, however, claimed that the illegal task was not possible without the involvement of insiders as some officials of the board had been caught in the past for allegedly issuing fake certificates.

As the PSEB authorities struggle to check the sale of fake certificates, the employers are not leaving anything to chance. They are getting certificates submitted by applicants verified from the relevant authorities.

To discourage the practice, the PSEB had earlier started issuing printed certificates rather than filling up the columns by hand. Later, it started printing photograph of the candidate on the certificate. But all these steps seem to a little bearing on the sale of fake certificates.

A government teacher, who has served in the state Education Department for 20 years and is now a part of the district education office, said: “If the state government orders verification of certificates of all its employees, nearly 30 per cent would prove to be fake.”

Gurinderpal Singh Bath, Secretary, PSEB, said: “The board is taking steps to make certificates foolproof. But, some people are still able to make fake certificates. A hologram is also used on the certificate to give it a unique identity. Further, if someone approaches us we verify whether the certificate is genuine or fake.”

Courtesy: The Tribune