Mumbai Architecture College Management Faces Police Case Over Academic Fraud Allegations
The Kherwadi police in Mumbai have taken decisive legal action by officially registering a comprehensive case against the management of Dr Baliram Hiray College of Architecture, located in the Bandra area. The police filed formal charges of cheating, criminal forgery, and serious breach of trust on Wednesday, following an extensive investigation triggered by detailed complaints from more than 125 aggrieved students.
Students Allege Systematic Academic Fraud and Bogus Certificates
The students have leveled serious allegations of widespread academic fraud, including the issuance of completely bogus certificates and the operation of unrecognized courses under the college's school of design. Police authorities confirmed they are thoroughly examining all the complaints and evidence presented, though no arrests have been made at this preliminary stage of the investigation.
Course Affiliation Issues with Derecognized Universities
The controversy centers on students from the first batch who enrolled in the BSc/BVov (Interior Design) program across five batches beginning in the 2021-22 academic year. These students were explicitly informed that their course was formally affiliated with Sangai University located in Manipur. However, this university was officially derecognized by authorities in 2024, a critical fact that was allegedly concealed from the student body.
Students have stated they had absolutely no knowledge about this derecognition and successfully completed their final year examinations in 2025. Following completion, they faced prolonged delays in receiving their official marksheets and degree certificates, creating significant anxiety about their academic credentials.
University Switch to Another Questionable Institution
In a surprising development last month, the college management informed students that their degrees would instead be granted by Sikkim International University. Students quickly discovered through their own research that this alternative university was also listed on the University Grants Commission's defaulter list, raising further red flags about the legitimacy of their qualifications.
Despite repeated formal requests and demands from the student community, the college administration consistently failed to provide any verifiable proof of affiliation with either educational institution, deepening suspicions about the entire academic arrangement.
Incorrect Marksheets and Missing Subjects
The situation reached a critical point on March 14 when the first batch of students finally received their long-awaited marksheets. To their shock and dismay, these documents contained numerous incorrect details, with marks inexplicably shuffled between subjects. Most alarmingly, key academic components like dissertation work were completely removed from the records.
College authorities justified these omissions by claiming that the university does not offer those specific subjects, a explanation that students found completely unacceptable given their completed coursework and academic requirements.
Student Protests Lead to Formal Police Complaint
Frustrated by these mounting irregularities, students organized a significant protest on March 25 to voice their grievances publicly. They submitted a detailed written complaint demanding immediate corrective action and transparency from college authorities. When their concerns remained unaddressed, they formally approached the Kherwadi police station, leading to the registration of a First Information Report against the college management.
The case now represents a serious examination of academic integrity and institutional accountability in higher education, with potential implications for educational regulation and student protection mechanisms in professional courses.
