Lok Sabha Question No. 1262 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-11
Subject: Fake Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: BANSHILAL MAHTO, LAKHAN LAL SAHU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1262 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2019

## Fake Universities

## †1262. DR. BANSHILAL MAHATO: SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU:

- Will	the	Minister	of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be	pleased	to	state : (a)	whether	the	Government	has	taken	into	cognizance	of	the	fact	that	a	large	number	of fake	universities	are	functioning	in	the	country; (b)	if	so,	the	details	thereof; (c)	 whether	 fake	 universities	 are	 also	 functioning	 in	 the	 foreign	 countries	 in	 a	 large number; (d)	if	so,	the	details	thereof; (e)	whether	the	Government	has	taken	any	effective	steps	to	close	such	universities	so that	the	students	do	not	fall	into	the	trap	of	the	fake	universities	and	do	not	get	cheated; and
- (f)	if	so,	the	details	thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. SATYA PAL SINGH)

(a)	&	(b):	Yes,	Madam.	University	Grants	Commission	(UGC)	has	released	the	list	of	24 fake	 Universities,	 which	 are	 available	 on	 its	 website	 www.ugc.ac.in.	 In	 addition,	 UGC issued	public	notice	against	the	unrecognized	status	of	Indian	Institute	of	Planning	and Management	 (IIPM),	 New	 Delhi	 and	 illegal	 status	 of	 Bio-Chemic	 Education	 Grant Commission,	Nadia,	West	Bengal.	Bhartiya	Shiksha	Parishad,	Lucknow,	UP	is	also	not recognized	by	the	UGC	under	Section	2(f)	of	the	UGC	Act,	1956. (c)	&	(d):	No	such	complaints	have	been	received	by	the	Government. (e)	&	(f):	The	Government	as	well	as	UGC	has	taken	the	following	steps	for	closure	of

- these	Universities	so	that	the	students	do	not	fall	into	the	trap	of	these	fake	Universities:
- i. The Government	 has	 requested	 the Chief Secretaries of respective State Governments	to	investigate	the	matter	and	register	complaints	in	police	station against	 these	 fake	 Universities.	 It	 was	 also	 requested	 to	 initiate	 prosecution against those who	 are	 involved in defrauding and	 cheating students by misrepresenting	themselves	as	'Universities'	awarding	degrees	with	their	name.
- ii. UGC	 has	 also	 issued	 letters	 to	 the	 State/UT	 Principal	 Secretaries/Education Secretaries	for	taking	appropriate	action	against	the	fake	Universities	located	in their	jurisdiction.
- iii. UGC	has	 issued	 Show	 Cause	 /	 Warning	 Notices	 to	 fake	 Universities	 cautioned that	 running	 of	 Undergraduate	 and	 Postgraduate	 degree	 courses	 and	 giving misleading	 advertisements	 shall	 attract	 severe	 action	 under	 the	 provisions	 of appropriate	laws	including	the	UGC	Act	and	the	Indian	Penal	Code,	etc.
- iv. UGC	has	lodged	FIRs	in	the	respective	Police	stations	against	Indian	Institute	of Planning	and	Management	(IIPM),	New	Delhi	and	Bio-Chemic	Education	Grant Commission,	Nadia,	West	Bengal.

Apart	from	the	above,	UGC	has	taken	the	following	steps	to	spread	awareness among	the	general	public,	students	&	parents	from	the	fake	Universities:

- i. UGC	has	published	the	list	of	fake	Universities	on	its	website	i.e.	www.ugc.ac.in.
- ii. UGC	 has	 also	 issued	 public	 notice	 against	 the	 unrecognized	 status	 of	 Indian Institute	of	Planning	and	Management	(IIPM),	New	Delhi	and	illegal	status	of	BioChemic	Education	Grant	Commission,	Nadia,	West	Bengal.
- iii. At	the	beginning	of	every	academic	session,	UGC	issues	Press	Release	and	Public Notice	 regarding	 State-wise	 list	 of	 fake	 Universities	 in	 the	 country	 in	 national dailies	 and	 newspapers	 in	 Hindi	 and	 English	 to	 warn	 the	 aspiring	 students, guardians	and	the	public	at	large	not	to	take	admission	in	the	courses	run	by	the self-styled, unauthorized	 fake	 Universities/Institutions of higher education functioning	in	different	parts	of	the	country.

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