PRAYAGRAJ, April 4 -- Once known for its strong academic legacy, the Sangam city has, in recent years, emerged as a fertile ground for fake degree rackets. Authorities say the presence of key education offices-such as the UP Board headquarters, the directorate of education and the CBSE regional office-has made the city an easy target for fraudsters preying on desperate job seekers.

This year alone, three major fake degree rackets have been busted in Prayagraj within two months, exposing a deep-rooted nexus spread across the wider Purvanchal region. These gangs operated through professionally designed fake websites impersonating reputed universities and education boards in Uttar Pradesh. Using such portals, they issued forged degrees and ...