Quick Overview: In India, fake degree certificates or backdated degrees are not valid and may result in job termination, denial of a visa, fines, imprisonment, and more. However, the consequences will depend on the situation, relevant laws, and evidence.
Degree certificates are essential for job purposes, admission to higher education institutions, professional license issuance, and obtaining visas. But there could be many problems when you use a forged degree or a degree certificate that has been falsely altered.
Some people use forged certificates for employment purposes, getting a promotion at work, getting into colleges, or immigration purposes. There are those who get certificates from non-authorized educational institutions.
In India, a forged certificate or a degree certificate that has been backdated cannot be considered a legitimate qualification just because the certificate exists. Depending on the situation, there may be disciplinary actions or criminal proceedings against the person who is using the certificate.
Now, let us see what the effects of using a Fake Degree Certificate are.
What Is a Fake or Backdated Degree?
A fake degree is an academic document that falsely represents a person as holding a qualification or purports to have been issued by an institution that did not legitimately award it.
A falsely backdated degree is a certificate that claims an earlier completion or award date than is supported by the student’s genuine academic records. A certificate issued or delivered later than the actual academic award is not automatically fraudulent. Backdating of a degree is when:
- Buying a degree without completing the required course or examinations.
- Changing the graduation year on an original certificate.
- Creating a fake university certificate or transcript.
- Using a degree from an institution that is not legally authorized to award it.
- Falsely claiming to have completed a qualification before a job or visa eligibility deadline.
Important: A genuine university can give you a certificate even if there is a delay. However, this doesn’t mean that your certification will be either backdated or false. What really matters here is the authenticity of the certification and the dates associated with it. The University Grants Commission (UGC) gives you information regarding fake institutions and universities.
What Happens If You Get Caught With a Fake or Backdated Degree in India?
The consequences depend on how the certificate was created, whether you knew it was false, and how you used it.
1. Job Loss and Termination
In case your employer finds out that you have presented a fake degree or have misrepresented your graduation date,
- Your employment offer will be withdrawn.
- Your current employment will be suspended or terminated.
- Your promotion or appointment will be revoked.
- Your disqualification from future recruitment, if applicable.
- Your benefits or other actions may be recovered if allowed by law or the employment agreement.
The government's recruitment process may include further checks and services. At times, it might also be referred to the police. There are also possible measures that can be taken by private employers in case of deceit, depending on their employment laws and regulations.
2. Visa Refusal or Immigration Problems
Submission of a fake degree in the student visa, skilled worker visa, and other immigration forms may cause many problems.
Some of the repercussions may be the following:
- Rejection of the visa application.
- Cancelling the visa or immigration permit, where appropriate.
- Future visa and immigration problems.
- Closer examination of your academic and professional credentials.
- Penalties or prosecution of immigration violations in accordance with the destination country’s immigration law.
This entirely depends on the country you applied to, the type of visa you have applied for, immigration regulations in that particular country, and your submission. Not all fake degrees cause the same problem in every country. If your graduation date is not right, give authentic academic documents and reasons.
3. Criminal Charges, Fines, and Jail
Yes, there is indeed jail time for someone caught using a fake degree in India. Using a forged document or knowingly using a forged document as real can be an offense. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) became operational on 1 July 2024.
Sections pertinent to the use of fake degrees are as follows:
- Section 336: This section addresses forgery. When forgery involves cheating, it is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine.
- Section 340(2): Deals with fraudulent or dishonest use of a forged document as genuine when there is knowledge or reason to believe that the document is forged. The punishment is related to the punishment provided for forging such documents.
However, there needs to be knowledge about whether or not it was fraudulently or dishonestly done. There can be legal implications of a fake graduation date too, depending upon its creation or fraudulent use.
4. Problems With Higher Education and Professional Licensing
These universities or licensing authorities can check the authenticity of educational credentials before issuing admissions or registrations. In case of detection of a forged degree, some of the actions that may be taken are:
- Admission denied or canceled.
- Academic admission offer withdrawn.
- Qualification or registration canceled on account of misrepresentation.
- Disqualification from professional positions that require a valid degree.
5. Permanent Damage to Your Career and Reputation
However, even in cases that do not lead to incarceration, professional repercussions may last for years. Your employers may have doubts about your credibility, recruiting agencies will find discrepancies in the information provided, and new organizations may ask you for more proof. The situation will be even harder if a criminal matter becomes a factor. The best course of action is to provide genuine credentials and correct the records from the issuing university.
What Should You Do If Your Degree Has a Wrong Date?
In case you detect any errors in your certification, such as wrong graduation dates, follow these procedures:
- Contact the examination department or the registrar's office at your institution.
- Ask for clarification and get the certificate corrected, if necessary.
- Retain copies of your mark sheets and all authentic supporting documents.
- Notify your employer or the relevant authority in case of applications where there is a dispute.
- Seek the counsel of a competent lawyer if there are chances of any fraud or if you receive any legal notice.
Do not tamper with the certificate or submit any fake document. In case you have already done so, then consult a lawyer.
Conclusion:
A fake or backdated degree can cause problems in employment, visa applications, professional credentials, and the legal system in general. In India, any form of document forgery or misuse of such forged documents can attract criminal liability, fines, and even imprisonment.
Make sure that you have checked the legality and the validity of the course before applying to it. If your diploma is incorrectly dated, contact authorities to correct the error instead of doing it by yourself.
College Vidya is a service where students can look into opportunities for distance and online education as well as compare universities. When making a decision on which course to take, make sure that the university and the program are recognized.
