Legal Literacy - In the era of social media, academic titles often become symbols of prestige. However, when a title is used without a valid diploma, the issue is no longer merely ethical, but can touch the realm of law. Listing a title after a name is often considered a symbol of prestige and intellectual competence. Titles such as S.H., S.E., S.Pd, and even Dr. often give the impression that someone has the capacity in a particular scientific or academic field. However, problems arise when the title is used by someone who has not actually obtained or has never obtained a valid diploma.

This phenomenon is often seen on social media, business cards, and professional profiles. The use of titles is not only done by those who have never attended college, but also by students who have not actually graduated. Some students write titles such as S.H., S.E., or S.Pd., and so on, even though they are not administratively entitled to do so. In fact, some invite their parents to symbolic graduations by buying robes and writing titles on sashes, without entering the official room, just so that their families see as if they have graduated, even though the university has not officially recorded their graduation.

The question then becomes important, is writing a title without a diploma just a style of writing a name, or can it be categorized as a violation of the law? In the higher education system in Indonesia, academic titles are not just social attributes. The use of academic titles in the higher education system in Indonesia cannot be done arbitrarily. An academic title is a form of official recognition given by a university to someone who has completed the education process in accordance with applicable regulations. This is affirmed in Law Number 12 of 2012 concerning Higher Education, Article 26 which states:paragraph (1) Academic titles are awarded by Higher Education Institutions that organize academic education. paragraph (2) Academic titles consist of: a. bachelor; b. master; and c. doctor. This provision shows that the awarding of academic titles is the authority of higher education institutions that officially organize academic education.

In addition, the regulation regarding the use of titles is also emphasized in Article 28 paragraph (6) Individuals, organizations, or organizers of Higher Education who are not entitled are prohibited from granting academic degrees, vocational degrees, or professional degrees. paragraph (7) Individuals who are not entitled are prohibited from using academic degrees, vocational degrees, and/or professional degrees. Thus, a person only has the right to use an academic degree after being declared graduated and obtaining a diploma from a legitimate university.. This provision affirms that the use of titles should not be done carelessly, because titles have academic legitimacy as well as legal legitimacy.

The problem is, the use of titles without a diploma does not stop at the realm of academic ethics alone. In Indonesian positive law, this action can also be categorized as an act that violates the law. This is reflected in Article 93 of Law Number 12 of 2012 concerning Higher Education, which states: Individuals, organizations, or organizers of Higher Education who violate Article 28 paragraph (6) or paragraph (7), Article 42 paragraph (4), Article 43 paragraph (3), Article 44 paragraph (4), Article 60 paragraph (2), and Article 90 paragraph (4) shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of 10 (ten) years and/or a fine of a maximum of Rp1,000,000,000.00 (one billion rupiah). This provision shows that the state places academic integrity as important. An academic degree is not just a symbol of prestige, but an academic identity protected by law.

In addition, the use of fake diplomas or degrees may also be subject to criminal provisions in the Criminal Code (KUHP). This is regulated in Article 272 of the Criminal Code, which states: (1) Any Person who falsifies or creates false diplomas or competency certificates and accompanying documents shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 6 (six) years or a maximum fine of category V. (2) Any Person who uses a fake diploma, competency certificate, academic, professional, or vocational degree shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 6 (six) years or a maximum fine of category V.
(3) Any Person who issues and/or provides fake diplomas, competency certificates, academic, professional, or vocational degrees shall be sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 1O (ten) years or a maximum fine of category VIThus, the use of an academic degree without a legitimate basis not only has the potential to violate academic ethics, but can also lead to criminal consequences if proven to use or issue an illegitimate diploma or degree.

In today's era of information openness, a person's academic status is also relatively easy to verify. The government, through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, provides the Higher Education Database (PDDikti) which contains data on students and graduates of universities in Indonesia. Through this system, the public can find out whether someone has actually graduated, is still an active or non-active student, or has even been dismissed. If someone is not yet recorded as a graduate, then the use of an academic degree certainly raises questions about its validity.

Basically, a degree is the result of a long educational process, starting from learning, research, to academic sessions. When a degree is used without going through this process, the academic value is reduced and the credibility of educational institutions can be affected. In the professional world, especially in law, health, and education, honesty about academic identity is an important part of professional integrity. Therefore, maintaining the authenticity of an academic degree is not only a matter of administrative formality, but also concerns public trust in a person's competence.

In conclusion, writing a degree behind a name without having a valid diploma is not a trivial matter. In addition to violating academic ethics, this action also has the potential to violate the law as regulated in the Higher Education Law and the Criminal Code. The phenomenon of using a degree prematurely shows that there is still a misunderstanding about the meaning of an academic degree. In fact, a degree is not just a social symbol, but rather a recognition of an educational process that has been completed legally. Let us reflect on whether a title is worth risking for mere prestige, if the consequences are reputation and criminal risk?