Vadodara: In a fresh twist to the row over the PhD degree of M S University‘s former vice-chancellor Vijay Srivastava, Bundelkhand University (BU), Jhansi, has now issued a revised verification declaring his degree “genuine”.

The controversy erupted after BU issued an e-verification report on Sept 2, describing Srivastava’s PhD as “fake and forged”. The report was sought by MSU professor Satish Pathak of the department of education. Two days later, BU issued another clarification claiming errors in the e-verification form had led to the “fake” declaration.

Pathak, however, wrote to BU on Sept 5, urging the university to issue a fresh verification signed by the controller of examinations and to provide an attested copy of the PhD certificate. He pointed out discrepancies between the PhD title on Srivastava’s original certificate and the one cited in BU’s clarification letter.

In its latest communication sent on Saturday, BU uploaded a revised verification on its official website and shared an attested copy of Srivastava’s PhD degree, titled “A study of fats and fatty acids in some plants of Bundelkhand region” in chemistry. “The above said PhD degree issued to Dr Vijay Kumar is genuine,” the BU communiqué stated.

The degree row has already drawn political attention, with the Congress demanding a CBI inquiry into Srivastava’s credentials. Srivastava, who was appointed MSU VC on Feb 10, 2022, resigned on Jan 8 this year, a month before his three-year term was due to end, after facing a legal challenge in the Gujarat high court.