Shillong: The Supreme Court of India, on February 13, upheld the Meghalaya government’s 2014 decision to dissolve Chander Mohan Jha (CMJ) University, citing serious mismanagement and multiple violations. The ruling reaffirms the state’s action against the institution, which was accused of granting an unprecedented number of PhD degrees in violation of UGC norms.
A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Sandeep Mehta ruled that the appointment of CMJ University’s chancellor was invalid, as it did not comply with Section 14(1) of the CMJ University Act. The court observed that the state government had followed all procedural requirements under Section 48 of the Act before issuing the dissolution order on March 31, 2014.
The court noted that the Meghalaya government had given CMJ University ample opportunities to rectify its violations but found the institution’s explanations unsatisfactory. It pointed out that the government had conducted a thorough analysis of the university’s mismanagement before making the final determination.
The Meghalaya High Court had earlier overturned a 2015 ruling that sought to invalidate the dissolution order, with the Supreme Court now affirming that the High Court was fully justified in its decision.
Founded in 2009, CMJ University came under scrutiny for awarding 434 PhD degrees between 2012 and 2013, while enrolling 490 more PhD scholars, far exceeding the permissible limits set by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The Supreme Court’s decision clears the way for the state government to take further action regarding the institution’s closure.
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