AICTE raises alarm over fake job appointment letters targeting students and faculty

CHENNAI: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has alerted Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), faculty members, and students about the fake job appointment letters issued in the name of AICTE and the Ministry of Education (MoE) officers.

“These communications are sent from counterfeit email addresses resembling official domains, misleading individuals into believing they have been offered employment opportunities,” Dr. Prashant Kharat, AICTE director said.

Stating that AICTE uses only its domain https://www.aicte-india.org/ for any communication, he said the key point of concern is the nature of fraud as the fraudsters are impersonating AICTE and MoE officials and issuing fraudulent job offers.

With regard to the tactics used, he said fake email addresses and forged documents have been used to appear legitimate. “Such scams not only tarnish the reputation of AICTE and MoE but also exploit unsuspecting individuals,” he added.

Urging the HEIs to inform all students, faculty, and staff about this fraudulent activity and advise them to be cautious when dealing with unsolicited job offers, he said “encourage individuals to verify the authenticity of any job-related communication purportedly from AICTE or MoE by contacting official channels”.

“Direct instances of fraudulent communication to the AICTE or the cybercrime division of the council immediately,” he said adding, “Institutions and individuals are requested to report such incidents to the local cybercrime cell at the earliest”.

The AICTE director said HEIs' proactive action is crucial in combating this menace and ensuring the safety and security of the academic community.