Two assistant professors of Magadh University in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, allegedly provided fake PhD degrees to scholars from Myanmar and other Buddhist nations.

The PhD degree racket was busted after posts on social media platforms revealed the two accused teachers, Kailash Prasad and Vishnu Shankar Singh, participating in a doctorate degree award ceremony at Yangon in Myanmar on September 29. The university officials registered an FIR against them on Monday and the police have started a probe.

At least 11 Myanmar nationals were awarded the PhD degrees at the event.

“We had been hearing about a fake PhD racket for a long time but it came to light after we came across a few social media posts. Two teachers associated with our university have been involved in it. I then asked the proctor to register an FIR against them,” Magadh University vice-chancellor Shashi Pratap Shahi told The Telegraph.

Shahi said he constituted a team after the matter came to light and the action was taken on the basis of the report submitted by it. He said the “honorary” degrees did not bear his signature. “Magadh University does not award honorary PhDs,” Shahi added.

While Kailash was a former lecturer, Vishnu was a non-permanent faculty at the Buddhist Studies department at the university. Both are absconding after the FIR was registered at the University police station.

Asked about the extent of the racket, the vice-chancellor expressed his inability to tell how long the racket had been continuing and how many candidates have been awarded fake PhD degrees. “At present, we cannot rule out people from other Buddhist countries also being involved or duped in this racket. Bodh Gaya is a tourist place of international importance and it seems the racketeers handed out fake doctorates in lieu of money,” Shahi added.

Sources said there were indications that fake PhD degrees were awarded to people from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Buddhists from other countries.