In a significant ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court directed the dissolution of CMJ University in Meghalaya, supporting the state government’s 2014 order to close the institution due to severe administrative and academic misconduct. The decision comes after allegations of “mismanagement, maladministration, indiscipline, and fraudulent intent” were substantiated against the university.
Justices PS Narasimha and Sandeep Mehta dismissed an earlier directive from the Meghalaya High Court in 2021, which had called for a reconsideration of the dissolution. The apex court validated the Meghalaya governor’s recommendations to remove Chandra Mohan Jha as chancellor and to dissolve the university altogether. The court’s decision also entails the withdrawal of degrees such as Ph.D., M.Phil, and B.Ed, which were issued without proper regulatory approvals.
The Supreme Court criticized the division bench of the Meghalaya High Court for its previous decision to remit the case back to a single judge for review, emphasizing that the state’s dissolution order was rightly based on comprehensive evidence of gross violations by CMJ University. These violations included the illegal appointment of the chancellor, financial discrepancies, failure to submit mandatory reports, and the unauthorized expansion of off-campus centers.
Highlighting the due process followed, the Supreme Court noted that the state government had given CMJ University multiple opportunities to rectify its violations but to no avail. It further pointed out that the chancellor’s self-appointment lacked the necessary approval from the governor, rendering all subsequent administrative appointments at the university, including that of the vice-chancellor, illegal.
The dissolution has also led to criminal investigations by Meghalaya police against the university, Jha, and his family members—who were trustees of the CMJ Foundation—for allegedly defrauding thousands of students by issuing fake degree certificates in exchange for money.
Adding to the university’s woes, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been actively pursuing a money laundering case against the operators of CMJ University. The ED’s investigations revealed that around 20,570 fake degrees were awarded by the university between 2010 and 2013, with the total proceeds of crime estimated at ₹83.52 crore. As part of their ongoing efforts, the agency has already attached properties worth ₹48.76 crore linked to the fraudulent activities.
