‘Degree not valid’: UGC warns students about 3 ‘self-styled’ institutions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has warned students against enrolling in fake universities operating in Karnataka, Delhi, and Maharashtra. Any degree awarded by such 'fake institutions' is not valid for employment or higher education purposes, the commission adds.

UGC has informed the National Backward Krushi Vidyapeeth, Solapur in Maharashtra, S. K. Choultary, Devanur Main Road, Vijaya Nagara, Tumkur in Karnataka and National Institute of Management Solution (NIMS), Delhi are not recognised and are included in the list of fake universities.

The commission has informed that the ‘self-styled’ institutions are neither recognised by UGC under section 2(f)/section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, nor approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and any other statutory body. Therefore, the institutions mentioned above are not entitled to award any degree or diploma.

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"In view of the above, students, parents and public at large are cautioned through this public notice not to take admission in the above-mentioned self-styled institution, taking admission in such self-styled institution may jeopardize the career of the students," the official UGC notice reads.

UGC's list of fake universities

Earlier, UGC also issued a warning about a fake university in Delhi called the Institute of Management and Training, as well as another institution in Kerala known as the International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine.

In October 2025, the UGC released a list of 22 fake universities that were operating without proper recognition. The commission stated that these institutions were not authorised to award degrees or any academic qualifications.