UGC declared 24 'self-styled' universities as fake: Dharmendra Pradhan in Parl
Most of the fake or 'self-styled' institutes are based in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Lok Sabha.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday the University Grants Commission (UGC) has declared 24 "self-styled" universities as fake and found two more in violation of norms.
Replying to a written question in the Lok Sabha, Pradhan said the steps were taken after complaints were received from the students, parents and general public. Some information came through electronic print media as well, he said.
"Two more institutes, namely Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow, UP, and Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM), Qutub Enclave, New Delhi, are also found functioning in violation of the UGC Act, 1956. The matters of Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow and IIPM, New Delhi are sub-judice in the court," he added.
The highest number of such fake institutes are based in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi. These are Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi; Mahila Gram Vidyapith, Allahabad; Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Allahabad; National University of Electro Complex Homeopathy, Kanpur; Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Open University, Aligarh; Uttar Pradesh Vishwavidyalaya, Mathura; Maharana Pratap Shiksha Niketan Vishwavidyalaya, Pratapgarh and Indraprastha Shiksha Parishad, Noida.
Delhi has seven such fake universities — Commercial University Ltd, United Nations University, Vocational University, ADR Centric Juridicial University, Indian Institution of Science and Engineering, Vishwakarma Open University for Self Employment and Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University).
Odisha and West Bengal have two fake universities each -- Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine and Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research in Kolkata and Nababharat Shiksha Parishad in Rourkela and North Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology in Mayurbhanj.
Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry and Maharashtra have one fake university each.
They are — Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education, Puducherry; Christ New Testament Deemed University, Andhra Pradesh; Raja Arabic University, Nagpur; St John's University, Kerala and Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University Education Society, Karnataka.
Speaking on the steps taking by the UGC against these universities, Pradhan said public notices are issued about the list of fake universities/institutes in national Hindi and English newspapers.
He said, "The commission writes letters to state chief secretaries, Education secretaries and principal secretaries to take action against such universities located in their jurisdiction".
"Show cause and warning notices are issued to the unauthorized institutes awarding invalid degrees when any self-styled institution is found or noticed functioning in violation of the UGC Act, 1956."
(With agency inputs)
