E-Paper
Delhi govt launches crackdown on seven fake universities
The Delhi government’s department of higher education has written to the deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) in connection with these “fake universities” and asked the police to provide an action-taken report (ATR) on the matter.
The state government has launched a crackdown on seven private universities in Delhi declared “fake” by the University Grant Commission (UGC) earlier this year and asked the police to register FIRs against these institutes.
The Delhi government’s department of higher education has written to the deputy commissioner of police (headquarters) in connection with these “fake universities” and asked the police to provide an action-taken report (ATR) on the matter.
The UGC has been publishing a yearly list of fake universities — existing or functioning — across the country since 1994 to caution students against taking admission in such institutions.
However, this is the first time when the Delhi government has approached police and sought action against these institutes on the UGC’s request.
“It has been informed that the UGC has been publishing the list of fake universities (existing/functioning) across the country in the newspapers and uploading it on its website to warn the students not to take admission in such universities which are defrauding and cheating innocent students by awarding fake/invalid degrees,” said the government’s letter, sent to the police on December 9, which HT has seen.
It further said, “It is, therefore, requested to take the suitable necessary action as requested in the aforesaid communication including the filing of FIRs etc. in the matter against the fake universities as mentioned in the letter in respect of Delhi. An Action Taken Report along with supporting documents may be furnished in the case for onward submission of the same to UGC accordingly.”
In October, the UGC released a state-wise list of such universities, including seven institutions based in Delhi. No records of four universities including United Nations University, ADR-Centric Juridical University, Vocational University, and Indian Institute of Science and Engineering, were available online.
When HT contacted the Commercial University Ltd in Daryaganj, a person, who did not wish to identify himself said, “The University has shut down a few years ago. We are just running a small office here.”
Officials at Vishwakarma Open University for Self-Employment and Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya denied the charges of being “fake universities”.
The dean of Vishwakarma University in Sanjay Enclave, VM Mahajan, said, “The UGC has been putting us on the list of fake universities for the last 10 years. What’s the definition of university? We are training students to become job-givers here. We have no bar for age and education for enrolment. We are running an institute based on our own philosophy, education system, and money. We are not asking for any help from the government.”
Amol Kokne, the legal advisor of Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya, said, “This is a spiritual university that doesn’t offer a degree or diploma. We are connecting people with the university and the basis of education here is the Bhagawad Gita. We do not need UGC’s approval to run a spiritual institute as the UGC Act doesn’t have anything related to universities like this.”
In September this year, the UGC had written to state governments asking them to initiate police action against “fake universities”.
The Commission had also urged states to send evidence regarding the non-existence of sham educational institutions or bodies.
A senior official at the Delhi government’s higher education department said, “The UGC had also asked the states to inform if any of these universities do not exist now. We have initiated a process to collect information regarding these fake universities.”
Delhi police did not respond to requests for a comment.
