Lok Sabha Question No. 2453 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-01
Subject: Deemed Universities
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2453 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1.8.2016

## Deemed Universities

## 2453. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN :

Will	the	Minister	of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be	pleased	to	state:

- (a)	whether	the	Government	proposes	to	encourage	deemed	universities;
- (b)	if	so,	the	criteria	fixed	by	the	Government	for	declaration	of	an	educational	institutions as	deemed	university;
- (c)	 whether	 the	 Government	 proposes	 to	 change	 the	 amount	 of	 grant	 provided	 to	 the deemed	universities	and	if	so,	the	action	taken	thereof;
- (d)	the	mechanism	introduced	by	the	Government	to	monitor	the	quality	of	education	in the	deemed	universities;
- (e)	whether	it	has	come	to	the	notice	of	the	Government	that	fake	universities	have	given advertisement	to	attract	 students	 and	 if	 so,	 the	 action	 taken	 by	 the	 Government	 against those	who	misrepresent	the	facts;	and
- (f)	 whether	 the	 Government	 has	control	 to	 fix	 the	 curriculum,	 extra-curricular	 activities, quality	of	education,	infrastructure	facilities	and	fee	structure	etc.	of	a	deemed	university,	if so,	the	details	of	the	criteria	fixed	by	the	Government?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a)	&	(b):	In	order	to	regulate	the	process	of	declaration	of	higher	educational	institutions as	deemed	to	be	universities,	University	Grants	Commission	(UGC)	has	approved	the	UGC (Institutions	 Deemed	 to	 be	 Universities)	 Regulations,	 2016	 in	 its	 516th	 meeting	 held	 on 15.6.2016	 which	 was	 notified	 on	 11.7.2016.	 The	 eligibility	 criteria	 for	 declaring	 an institution	 as	 deemed	 to	 be	 university	 is	 elaborated	 under	 Clause	 4.0	 of	 the	 UGC Regulations,	2016,	which	is	available	on	UGC's	website www.ugc.ac.in . (c):	No,	Madam. (d):	 	 In	 the	 Regulations,	 intensive	 external	 review	 of	 every	 deemed	 to	 be	 university	 has been	made	mandatory	by	UGC	once	in	every	five	years.	In	addition,	it	is	mandatory	for	the institutes	to	submit	regulatory	compliance	certificate	every	year	to	UGC	and	to	participate in	National	Institutional	Ranking	Framework	(NIRF). (e):	 The	 UGC	 has	 listed	 22	 known	 fake	 universities	 operating	 in	 the	 country	 which	 is available	on	www.ugc.ac.in.	The	Ministry	vide	its	D.O.	letter	No.	12-3/2015/U3A	dated	21 st July,	2015	requested	the	Chief	Secretaries	of	respective	State	Governments	to	investigate the	 matter	 and	 register	 complaints	 in	 police	 station	 against	 these	 fake	 universities. Prosecution	 may	 also	 be	 initiated	 against	 those	 who	 are	 involved	 in	 defrauding	 and cheating	students	by	misrepresenting	themselves	as	'Universities'	awarding	degrees	with their	name. UGC	has	also	taken	several	steps	against	these	fraudulent	universities.	Some	of	the steps	are	as	follows: (i)	For	the	awareness	of	general	public/students/parents,	the	UGC	puts	up	the	list	of	fake institutions	on	its	website	i.e.	www.ugc.ac.in.	All	self-styled	unrecognized	and	unapproved institutions	are	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. (ii)		At	the	beginning	of	every	academic	session,	the	UGC	issues	Press	Release	and	Public Notice	 and	 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/institution	of	higher	education	functioning	in	different	parts	of	the	country.

(iii) Cases have also been filed in various courts by UGC against fake universities/institutions.	 Various	 cases	 are	 pending	 in	 the	 court	 of	 law	 filed	 by	 the	 fake universities/unrecognized	institutes. (iv)	 The	 UGC	 in	 the	 interest	 of	 general	 public/students	 defends	 the	 cases	 in	 the	 court. Action	relating	to	closing	down	the	fake	institution	is	to	be	taken	by	the	concerned	state government	and	local	authorities. (v)	The	UGC	has	sent	letters	to	the	State/UT	Principal	Secretaries/Education	Secretaries	to take	appropriate	action	against	the	fake	universities	located	in	their	jurisdiction. (vi)	 	 The	 UGC	 has	 also	 written	 to	 the	 Vice	 Chancellor/	 Director,	 in	 charge	 of	 the	 all	 fake universities	to	close	down	the	institutions	immediately. (vii)	 Reminder	 letters	 dated	 1 st 	 April,	 2016	 have	 been	 issued	 to	 the	 State/UT	 Principal Secretaries/Education Secretaries to take the appropriate action against the fake universities	located	in	their	jurisdiction. (f):	The	curriculum,	extra-curricular	activities,	quality	of	education,	infrastructure	facilities and	fee	structure	of	deemed	to	be	universities	are	regulated	as	per	the	provisions	of	UGC (Institutions	 Deemed	 to	 be	 Universities)	 Regulations,	 2016.	 The	 Regulations	 provide	 for financial	 and	 academic	autonomy	of	the	universities	while	at	the	same	time	prohibit	the institutes from charging of capitation fee or donation and from indulging in commercialization	of	education.

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