- Degree-verification process is once again underway to weed out employees having fake degrees
ISLAMABAD: No disciplinary action has been taken against the forty-eight employees of Capital Development Authority (CDA) whose record from the Security Directorate proved that their educational certificates were found fake during verification by the concerned boards and educational institutions concerned, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The directorate’s record produced to the audit was silent about the disciplinary as well as criminal proceedings against the concerned individuals under CDA Employees Service Regulations, 1992. The audit was of the view that non-initiation of appropriate departmental and criminal proceedings was due to weak administrative controls.
Despite the issue pointed out in September, 2017, the authority did not reply. The matter couldn’t be discussed in the District Advisory Council (DAC) meeting despite requests made in November, December of 2017 and January of 2018. The audit recommends that the matter be investigated and disciplinary action be initiated against the individuals under CDA’s internal laws.
As reported by this paper earlier, CDA had failed to gather the education credentials of its employees hailing from both gazetted and non-gazetted cadre even after the lapse of a deadline that expired on September 20. However, it has been learnt that CDA has now finally initiated the process of verifying and cross checking their degrees to weed out those having fake ones.
In a circular issued by the CDA Board secretary last month, the HR director was asked to gather educational qualifications, postings, previous transfers, ACRs and all other relevant information and get them verified from relevant authorities.
It is pertinent to mention here that previous attempts to get the degrees verified have met with severe defiance from HR and administration formations. The matter has lingered on for the past 5 years owing to the indifference and lack of interest of said formations. CDA currently has 14,410 employees against the total sanctioned strength of 19,453 employees, including 351 vacant positions which include posts of gazetted officers of grades 17, 18, 19 and 20.
As per provisions of CDA Employees Service Regulations, 1992, the regularisation of service is subject to checking of original documents, including first engagement letter, last extension, letter of service, Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), academic degrees, experience certificates, domicile, etc. at the time of joining.
As per condition of the offer letter, these documents shall be verified by the CDA Directorate within three months. In case any record documents are found to be counterfeit during their verification, a criminal and disciplinary proceeding shall be initiated against the individuals.