Lok Sabha Question No. 135 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Fake Universities
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri K E Prakash, Md Abu Taher Khan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 135 ANSWERED ON - 01/12/2025

## Fake Universities

## 135. Shri K E Prakash Md Abu Taher Khan

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether it is  a  fact  that  the  University  Grants  Commission (UGC) has flagged 22 fake Universities operating in the country during the current year, if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  total  number  of  Universities  listed  as  fake  by  UGC,  State-wise  and stream-wise;
- (c)  the  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the  education  continuity  and compensation or relief for students who were enrolled in such fake Universities;
- (d) the steps undertaken by the Government and UGC to raise awareness among students and parents to prevent them from falling prey to such fraudulent institutions;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  or  enforce  any  strict,  nation-wide protocols or monitoring mechanisms to prevent the establishment and operation of such fake universities in the future, and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f)  whether  existing  norms  and  regulatory  bodies  are  sufficient  in  tackling  the  problem  of fake Universities in the country, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (f): The list of fake universities is available on the website of the University Grants Commission (UGC) at https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/Fakeuniversity. Currently,  24  Institutions  figure  in  the  list.  Maintenance  of  Law  and  order  is  a  subject matter  of  State  Governments.  Accordingly,  the  Central  Government  has  requested  to Chief  Secretaries  of  all  the  State  Governments  and  U.T.  Administration  to  take  legal action for closure of these institutions and take appropriate action against those involved in  defrauding  and  cheating  students  by  misrepresenting  themselves  as  "Universities", awarding degrees and using the word "University" with their name. It was also requested to  intimate  the  Central  Government  /UGC  if  there  are  other  fake      Universities functioning  in  their  States/UTs  which  are  not  included  in  the  UGC  list  of  Fake Universities.

Apart from issuing public Notices for general awareness through social media and UGC website  for  cautioning  the  general  public,  students,  parents  and  other  stakeholder,  the following  steps  have  also  been  taken  by  the  UGC/Government  against  such  fake universities:

- i. The  Government  as  well  as  the  UGC  have  requested  the  Chief  Secretaries  of  all State/UT Governments to take appropriate action against those involved in defrauding and  cheating  students  by  misrepresenting  themselves  as  'Universities',  awarding degrees and using the word 'University' with their name.
- ii. FIRs have been lodged against several self-styled institutions/universities.
- iii. Show  Causes  Notices/Warning  Notices  have  also  been  issued  to  the  unauthorized institutes awarding invalid degrees.

As a result, 12 fake universities were closed since 2014.

<!-- image -->

*****