A fresh academic storm has erupted from the corridors of Vadodara to Jhansi, embroiling Gujarat’s former MS University vice-chancellor Vijay Kumar Srivastava and professor Satish Pathak in a controversy that spans defamation, forged documents, and conflicting verification reports.
What began as a dispute over Srivastava’s PhD credentials has now evolved into a legal and institutional standoff, with both sides accusing each other of misinformation and intention of maligning each other’s reputation.
Reports claimed that Srivastava, who served as vice-chancellor of MS University from February 2022 to January 2025 and is currently the provost of KN University in Gota, filed an FIR at Sola police station on Thursday. He accused MSU professor Satish Pathak of attempting to tarnish his reputation by alleging that his PhD degree was fraudulent.
According to Srivastava (52), the enmity dates back to his tenure at MSU when he had ordered an inquiry into complaints against Pathak. “I had ordered an inquiry when I was VC because he was allegedly defaming the university. Since then, he held a grudge and started making false allegations against me on social media and in the media,” Srivastava was quoted as saying.
Pathak, on the other hand, has now raised questions about Bundelkhand University’s handling of Srivastava’s PhD verification. According to Pathak, BU initially issued an e-verification report on September 2 stating that Srivastava’s degree was “fake and forged.”
However, the university reversed its position a few days later, claiming the finding was due to errors in the verification form — specifically, the incorrect entry of the name as “Vijay Kumar Srivastava” instead of just “Vijay Kumar”, and a wrong roll/enrolment number.
Srivastava who resides in Vedika Habitat Society in Randesan, Gandhinagar, clarified that all his academic records, including his PhD, bear the name “Vijay Kumar” without the surname “Srivastava.”
He claimed he completed his PhD in 2000 from Pt Jawaharlal Nehru Postgraduate College, Banda, affiliated with Bundelkhand University, Jhansi. The thesis was titled “A Study of the Fats and Fatty Acids of Some Plants of Bundelkhand Region” and was completed under the guidance of Dr SQ Hassan.
The matter escalated when Srivastava discovered that Pathak had circulated a PDF letter in a WhatsApp group. The letter, addressed to the registrar of MSU, alleged that Srivastava’s PhD was fake and called for legal action. “To defame me, he spread a PDF claiming that my PhD was fake. He even misused the online verification portal of Bundelkhand University by giving wrong details of my name as Vijaykumar Srivastava instead of Vijay Kumar,” the FIR, published by the media reads.
Following his complaint, Bundelkhand University issued a fresh clarification, affirming the authenticity of Srivastava’s PhD and stating that the earlier “fake” result stemmed from erroneous details submitted during the verification request.
“The university confirmed on mail that my PhD is genuine and that my name was wrongly entered by the person who sought the details,” Srivastava was quoted as saying.
Pathak, however, is not satisfied with the clarification, reports added. He insists the original verification request included correct details — including the name and certificate serial number (149) — and argues that the conflicting communications from the university suggest either “undue influence or procedural lapses.”
He also pointed to discrepancies between the thesis title on the original certificate and the one mentioned in BU’s clarification. Pathak has demanded a new e-verification report, this time signed by the controller of examinations, along with a duly attested copy of Srivastava’s PhD certificate for transparency.
The FIR further alleges that Pathak impersonated MSU as the applicant while using his personal email ID and mobile number to request records from the university. Srivastava claims Pathak also used derogatory language in WhatsApp groups and spread defamatory claims through the press.
Sola police have reportedly registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act, citing forgery and criminal defamation. An investigation has been initiated. Srivastava, who had earlier faced legal challenges regarding his appointment as MSU vice-chancellor, resigned in January, a month before the official end of his term.
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