SRINAGAR: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has identified 32 unauthorised universities operating in 12 Indian states, up from 20 in the past two years, raising concerns over student safety and the credibility of higher education.
The commission has urged students and parents to avoid these institutions, which are not recognised under the UGC Act and cannot award valid degrees. Newly added states include Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh, each reporting one fake university.
Delhi leads with 12 such institutions, including the All India Institute of Public and Physical Health Sciences, Commercial University Limited, United Nations University, Vishwakarma Open University for Self-Employment, and the Institute of Management and Engineering. Some are located near regulatory offices, prompting questions about monitoring.
Other affected states include Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, multiple institutions, such as Gandhi Hindi Vidyapeeth in Prayag and the Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, have been flagged. Haryana’s Magic and Art University in Faridabad and Jharkhand’s Daksha University in Ranchi are also on the list.
The UGC warned that these institutions mislead students by offering unapproved degrees, endangering their academic and career prospects. It advised verifying recognised universities on the UGC website before applying.
Education experts noted that fake universities often lure students with quick degrees, low fees, flexible courses or claims of foreign affiliations, while lacking proper infrastructure, faculty, or academic standards.
Despite repeated alerts, such institutions continue to operate, putting students at risk, as degrees from these universities are invalid for employment, higher studies, or government jobs. The UGC emphasised that awareness is the strongest defence against the growing threat of fake universities. -(KL)
