UGC Declares 21 Universities As 'Fake'. Most From Delhi Followed By Uttar Pradesh

According to UGC, these self-styled universities were found to be operating from Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, UP, Odisha, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh.

New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Friday declared 21 universities as "fake" and said that these institutions do not have the authority to confer any degree. According to UGC, these self-styled universities were found to be operating from Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, UP, Odisha, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh, with majority being in the national capital followed by Uttar Pradesh.

"At least 21 self-styled, unrecognised institutions which are functioning in contravention of the UGC Act, have been declared as fake universities and these are not empowered to confer any degree," UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain said.

According to UGC, Delhi has eight fake universities -- All India Institute of Public and Physical Health Sciences; Commercial University Ltd. Daryaganj; United Nations University; Vocational University; ADR-Centric Juridical University; Indian Institution of Science and Engineering; Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment and Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University).

Uttar Pradesh has four such institutions -- Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, National University of Electro Complex Homeopathy, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (open university), Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, according to the UGC.

Other institutions are from Karnataka, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal and Kerala.

The statement issued by the UGC also mentioned when an education institution is recognized as a university.

The statement read, “The right of conferring or granting degrees shall be exercised only by a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act or an institution deemed to be a University under Section 3 or an institution specially empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer or grant degrees.”

“Save as provided in sub-Section (1), no person or authority shall confer, or grant, or hold himself or itself out as entitled to confer or grant, any degree......" it read.

The statement further read, “Section 23 of the UGC Act prohibits the use of the word 'University' by any institution other than a university established as stated above.”

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