UGC publishes list of 24 Fake Universities; no concrete measure to control the menace

NEW DELHI, APRIL 24: On one side the government is looking to improve the quality and access to higher education by giving graded autonomy and establishing Institutions of Eminence, on the other hand, it has failed to regulate erring institutions. The case in point is the latest list of ‘Fake Universities’ operating in the country published by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

As many as 24 institutions have been listed as ‘Fake Universities’ by the apex higher education regulatory body. The UGC has been coming up with the list of Fake Universities annually for past few years and since 2015 the number of institutions has only increased. The maximum number of institutions marked as fake is from Uttar Pradesh followed by Delhi, the two have eight and seven fake universities respectively. The list also consists of two universities each from West Bengal and Odisha, and one from Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, and Pondicherry.

The new entry to the list is the Delhi-based controversial institution run by self-styled ‘spiritual guru’ - Virender Dev Dixit, who is absconding after cases of sexual exploitations of women resident students against him surfaced last year. The institute is named – Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya.

The UGC in its notice has cautioned students and parents against these institutions and has said that these varsities are functioning in contravention of the UGC Act and have been declared as fake. The UGC notice reads, “These institutions have been declared as ‘Fake Universities’ and they are not entitled to confer any degree.”

A UGC official privy to the development said that the role of UGC is limited as it can only publish the names and inform the general public on these fake institutions. It is the upon the state governments and the local administration to act against them. We share the list with the concerned state governments from time to time.

As per the UGC Act only a University established by a Central or State Act or an institution deemed to be university are entitled to confer degrees.

The Fake Universities as published by UGC are:

Uttar Pradesh

1. Mahila Gram Vidyapith/Vishwavidyalaya, (Women’s University) Prayag, Allahabad ( UP )

2. Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Prayag, Allahabad (UP)

3. National University of Electro Complex Homeopathy, Kanpur

4. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Open University), Achaltal, Aligarh, (UP).

5. Uttar Pradesh Vishwavidyalaya, KosiKalan, Mathura (UP).

6. Maharana Partap Shiksha NiketanVishwavidyalaya, Pratapgarh (UP).

7. Indraprastha Shiksha Parishad, Noida , Phase-II, (UP)

8. Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, Varanasi, UP/Jagatpuri, Delhi.

* Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow, UP - the matter is subjudice

before the District Judge –Lucknow

Delhi

1. Commercial University Ltd., Daryaganj, Delhi.

2. United Nations University, Delhi.

3. Vocational University, Delhi.

4. ADR-Centric Juridical University, New Delhi

5. Indian Institution of Science and Engineering, New Delhi

6. Viswakarma Open University for Self-employment, New Delhi

7. Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya, Delhi

West Bengal

1. Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, Kolkata

2. Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research, Kolkata

Odisha

1. Nababharat Shiksha Parishad, Rourkela

2. North Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Mayurbhanj

Others

1. BadaganviSarkar World Open University Education Society, Belgaum, Karnataka

2. St. John’s University, Kishanattam, Kerala

3. Raja Arabic University, Nagpur, Maharashtra

4. Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education, Pondicherry

5. Maithili University/Vishwavidyalaya, Darbhanga, Bihar.