Two institutes in Bengal feature in a list of fake educational institutes released by the University Grants Commission on Saturday.
In the list of 32 such varsities across the country, Delhi tops the list with 12.
The University Grants Commission wrote to the state education department on April 19, 2023, warning about the two “fake universities” in Bengal, the Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine and Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research.
The state education department was requested to take appropriate action against the two institutes.
“The fake universities are awarding degrees in contravention of UGC Act and also, either using the word ‘university’ or conferring degrees without having the status of a university as per UGC Act 1956. Considering the serious nature of the matter, you are requested to kindly take appropriate action against the fake universities and apprise UGC accordingly,” the letter read.
Apart from Bengal and Delhi, fake educational institutes have also been exposed in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Rajasthan.
The UGC has advised students and parents to remain cautious and avoid taking admission in these institutions, which are not recognised under the UGC Act and do not have the authority to award valid degrees.
UGC notification to state requesting action against fake universities (Screengrab)
Sources said these institutes issue misleading advertisements to lure students ahead of the admission season every year.
These institutes, sources said, offer degrees which are not approved by the UGC, putting students' careers at stake.
Some of the universities also claim affiliation with a foreign board or university which helps them attract more students.
The UGC regularly publishes a list of fake universities to inform the public.
Concerns remain about the continued operation of such institutions despite repeated alerts.
Degrees issued by fake universities are not valid for jobs, higher education or government services.
Last year, the UGC list was capped at 22, ten less than this year. The spike shows that despite regulations and an attempt to increase awareness, higher education operators continue to exploit existing loopholes and high demand for institutional access, finding new ways to mislead students and evade oversight.
Most of the names on the UGC list are recurring, indicating a possible lag in implementing official crackdowns.
The Bible Open University of Vishakhapatnam has repeatedly appeared in the UGC list, but no measures have been taken to disable the imaginary university’s web page.
As far back as 2022, the UGC has been asking students not to take admission there and ‘jeopardise their careers,’ according to a 2022 report by The New Indian Express.