INVESTIGATION: Is a Degree from International Institute of Hotel Management Valid?

Distance Learning Degree from Bharathiar University, AICTE-approved Diploma, collaboration with UWL, are all mired in vague clearances, threatening the qualification of IIHM students...
Imagine a family investing a huge sum of money on their child’s future by getting him admitted in an industry-oriented course in a well-known institute. The student works hard through the 3-4 years of the course with a belief that his future is secure. However, to their surprise, when he completes his course and applies for Master’s in another institution, or applies for a job, he gets to know that his degree may not be valid. The institute in question is the International Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata, which has branches in seven Indian cities. UGC vs. IIHM - The case of invalid degree Every year hundreds of students take admission in B.Sc Catering Science and Hotel Management, Advanced Program in International Hospitality Administration, BA in Hospitality Management from UWL (UK) - London Campus and other courses in IIHM. Till 2015, everything was going well as students were getting a degree from Bharathiar University (BU). In 2015 the University Grants Commission (UGC) de-recognised BU’s distance education programmes. BU’s recognition was cancelled as it did not pay heed to repeated notices from UGC to stop operating centres outside its jurisdiction, which is the state of Tamil Nadu.
Secondly, the university was not directly operating the centres, but through franchisees, that operated out of rented buildings, which also violated UGC norms.

The UGC decision put the future of hundreds of IIHM students in various campuses in the dark. The students claim that they were never informed by the institute that the degree they were pursuing was not valid anymore.
The problem came to light only when students passing out of IIHM applied for Master’s courses or for jobs. Their applications were getting rejected as their degree was not valid.

Madras High Court’s stay order

Some of the students wrote to Careers360, stating that for the past few months, whenever a student approached IIHM over the issue of the validity of their degree, the institute would present a letter of BU, which stated that the students enrolled in the ongoing programme between 2016-19 will get a valid degree. BU’s letter states that the Madras High Court had issued a stay order against UGC Regulations, 2017, which restricts the territorial jurisdiction of the university. The letter further states that the students already enrolled in the Distance Education programme will be protected and permitted to complete their course, till getting further order from the High Court.
However, BU has been continuously facing flak from the High Court for dilly-dallying on operating study centres outside Tamil Nadu. In July 2017, the Madras HC asked BU Vice-Chancellor to close all distance education centres located outside the state. Later, in December 2017, BU Registrar-in-Charge filed an affidavit stating that it will not operate distance education study centres and will not grant affiliation and recognition relating to distance education to be conducted outside the state of Tamil Nadu from the academic year 2018-2019.

In 2018, Madras HC ordered the appearance of BU Registrar in connection with a contempt of court case as the university was flouting its order with study centres continuing to function outside the state. The judge also prohibited BU from permitting the operation of distance education study centres/franchisees and grant of affiliation and recognition relating to distance education to conduct outside the state of Tamil Nadu from the academic year 2018-2019 onwards, until further orders.

AICTE vs IIHM - The case of a questionable diploma
As per the AICTE, the IIHM has the approval to offer ‘Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology (HMCT)’ course for the year 2019-20 with an intake of 90 students. IIHM confirmed that it has the approval to offer three-year Diploma after 10+2. As per the ‘AICTE 2019-20 Handbook’, approval is given to the following courses (Food Technology,Hospitality and Tourism Administration, Hotel Management, Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Travel and Tourism) under the Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology.
AICTE had given approval to IIHM to run Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology. But IIHM does not run this programme and its website does not mention this programme. However, the AICTE website had displayed the data of intake capacity, enrolment and placement for the same programmes. It is strange the AICTE website displays details of the Diploma in HMCT while the institution does not offer this programme.AICTE has also listed IIHM among the list of unapproved institutions for running technical programme with foreign collaboration without AICTE approval.

Only Kolkata campus approved by AICTE!
Most importantly, AICTE has approved only the Kolkata campus with an intake of 90 students, while the other campuses are not listed among AICTE’s list of institutions. IIHM claims it has eight campuses in India and that admission process and fee for all the courses are the same. However, except Kolkata, the other seven campuses do not appear to have legal approval to offer any course as they do not have approval from a regulatory body. The institute offers two campuses outside India too. The ‘Not Approved’ status of these campuses raises question on the validity of the Diploma being awarded to students from these campuses. In fact, some of its campuses have been put in AICTE’s ‘Not Approved’ list, while other campuses are not mentioned in the list of approved institutions (See Table).

IIHM’s claim: BA in Hospitality Management from UWL (University of West London), UK
IIHM on its official website and admission brochure says it offers BA in Hospitality Management from UWL (UK) – London Campus. It also claims that as per the collaboration students will get the opportunity to study in UWL along with 12-month work placement in the UK. According to AICTE, such collaborations needs approval. However, Careers360 has not been able to find any approval for IIHM from any regulatory agency to offer such a programme.

When we asked IIHM about the programme with UWL (UK), the institute’s response was different from what it claims on its website and brochure. IIHM responded that the programme from UWL is optional for students who on their own get enrolled in the programme and IIHM only facilitates their enrolment. Very clearly, there is a cost associated with this option which isn’t stated up front. Two of IIHM’s programmes, not mentioned on its website or admission brochures are found on AICTE’s list of not approved programmes, but also shows that IIHM has collaboration with other foreign universities.

We also asked UWL (UK) to understand the nature of collaboration between the two institutions and placement opportunities being provided to students. UWL repled that, “IIHM delivers one course, the BA Hospitality Management which is a ‘Top Up’. BA (Hons) in Hospitality Management degree course at UWL London offers a 40 week work placement in the UK.”

On a specific query of whether “the Degree BA in Hospitality Management from UWL (UK) – London Campus’ valid allowing students to go for Masters level course in UK or in getting jobs in UK”, UWL’s response was vague. UWL responded: “The concept of this course is that students can choose to progress to study in the UK, upon successful completion of the BA Hospitality Management at one of the IIHM campuses in India (please note: students must also meet UK Visa and Immigration requirements). They need to undertake a three month Pre-Masters course at the University of West London, before progressing to the appropriate Masters. Former IIHM/UWL graduates have gained jobs in the UK and IIHM can provide further statistics, if required and subject to data protection. However, as is the case with any international student who studies at any UK university, ‘getting a job in the UK’ is never guaranteed but contingent on a number of factors.”
We reached out to AICTE to understand whether IIHM, which is an AICTE-approved institution, can offer programmes other than those listed on AICTE approved list of programmes for the institute? Despite repeated reminders, we have not received any response from the AICTE till the time of filing of the story. IIHM’s BSc degree: No UGC approval?
IIHM has been claiming that it offers, B.Sc Hotel Management Catering Technology and Tourism, which is a “UGC Approved” course. However, it has been found that it does not have any approval from UGC or any university to offer such a course, again putting a question mark on the said degree course. We have also asked IIHM to tell us about the fully approved degree level programmes offered by the institute with no response. The UGC from time to time has been publishing official notifications warning students to be beware of institutions issuing misleading advertisements. As per the UGC Circular of August 2001 on the role of universities established under the State Act, it states that they (state universities) shall operate only within the territorial jurisdiction allotted to them under that Act and in no case beyond the territory of the state where it is located. UGC has also been notifying universities to refrain from going beyond their jurisdiction area.

In the year 2015, UGC took a serious view of the “blatant compromise with the standards of education” by some state universities and certain private institutions, which had issued “misleading advertisements” with respect to offering university degrees through franchise programmes, leading to de-recognition of the distance education programme of many state universities. We wanted to know what action UGC, as the apex higher education regulator, can initiate against an institution illegally offering a course in the name of a university. Till the time of going to press, we have not received any response from them.
Careers360’s advice
India has some good institutions that offer courses in hospitality management, tourism and catering and related areas. Unless the course is offered by an established and reputed hotel chain, our advice to aspirants would be to go through approved institutions to pursue their career dreams. In the case of IIHM, the unapproved nature of the Bharathiar University distance learning degree, the grey area in the AICTE approval process and the nature of partnership with University of West London (UWL UK) are all questionable. Repeated notifications by regulatory authorities like the UGC, AICTE and the Madras HC cast a shadow. It is also worrying that the regulators have not moved beyond mere issuing circulars. A former AICTE Chairman said that AICTE can only warn students against an institution, it is the states which will have to take action, there is need to give more teeth to AICTE. While the industry linkages of IIHM maybe good, it still falls short on its disclosures and transparency and keeping the student informed. Our advice to students would be to avoid it, till IIHM sets their house in order.