Odisha lecturer dismissed over fake certificate; asked to return salary from 2018

In a major case of academic fraud, a commerce lecturer of Balikuda College in Jagatsinghpur district was dismissed from service on Monday after it was found that he had secured the job using a fake educational certificate. The lecturer, identified as Santosh Satapathy, had been serving at the institution since 2018.

According to officials, Satapathy produced a fake M.Com certificate at the time of his appointment. A fact-finding team was later constituted to verify his documents. After a thorough inquiry, the team submitted its report confirming that the certificate was not genuine. Acting on the findings, the authorities decided to terminate his services with immediate effect.

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The dismissal order has also directed Satapathy to return the salary he had drawn during his tenure, as it was obtained through fraudulent means. This includes all payments received from the time of his appointment in 2018 until now.

The matter came to light after discrepancies were noticed in his academic records. Following the inquiry, the Sub-Collector of Jagatsinghpur wrote to the principal of Balikuda College, instructing strict action against the lecturer and ensuring compliance with the recovery order.

The incident has sparked strong reactions in academic circles, raising concerns over the verification process of educational qualifications during recruitment. Authorities have emphasised that strict vigilance is necessary to prevent such fraud in the future and to maintain the integrity of the education system.