The staff supporting Mr Ram Avtar, head of the department of Hindi, has also decided to send their representation to the committee demanding reversion of the orders and a probe into the matter. The staff has alleged that the teacher has been embroiled in the controversy as he did not share a good rapport with a former principal.

While the orders of his suspension, along with a chargesheet, have been issued on January 5, he had been in controversy since December, 2002. It had been pointed out that the degree in Vedic Literature, that he had obtained from Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Hardwar, was not equivalent to that of Hindi and, thus, he did not fulfil the criterion for the post.

Following this, the college had even sought a clarification from the university at Hardwar in this regard. At this, the college authorities were reportedly told that the degree in the course was not equivalent to that of Hindi. The management of the college then despatched a photocopy of the degree to the university seeking its authenticity. The management was reportedly told that the degree was a fake one as it did not bear the signatures of the then authorised signatories. They were also told that the name of Mr Ram Avtar was not on the list of recipients of the PhD degree in 1978.

At this, the DPI (Colleges) stopped the salary grant that was being released to him. Even the Guru Nanak Dev University had told him to keep away from all university matters. The orders had been reportedly reverted on clarification given by Mr Ram Avtar.

A college committee, investigating into the matter, had reportedly asked him to present a notification of the university pertaining to his degree which he was unable to do. At this, the management served on him a suspension notice.

Mr Ram Avtar said his degree was genuine. He said when he had contacted the university authorities, he was simply told that they had lost all old records of degree holders. He said he even possessed photographs of convocation supporting that his degree was not fake. He added that since he had done all his research work in Hindi and he was recruited through a proper selection committee about 24 years back, his degree was equivalent and he was fit for the post.

He said he could not obtain a notification as the university authorities had told him that the procedure of issuing notifications was not being followed at that time.

Repeated attempts to contact Mr M.L. Aeri, Principal of the college, failed as he did not attend the phone.