The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a warning to students, parents, and the public about unauthorized institutions offering fake degrees. The Commission emphasized that certain institutions are illegally granting degrees in violation of the UGC Act.
The UGC has clarified that only universities and institutions established through a State Act, Central Act, or Provincial Act, or those granted degree-awarding status under the UGC Act, 1956, are authorized to confer degrees. Degrees from unrecognized institutions will not be considered valid for higher education or employment.
The official notice warned that many institutions are issuing degrees without proper authorization. “It has come to the notice of UGC that a number of institutions are offering degrees in contradiction to the provisions of the UGC Act. Degrees awarded by such institutions shall neither be recognized nor valid for higher education and employment purposes,” the notice stated.
Government Action Against Fake Universities
In February, Minister of State for Education Dr. Sukanta Majumdar informed the Lok Sabha that 21 educational institutions were listed as fake universities on the UGC’s official website. When questioned about the status of these institutions and the actions taken against them, the minister clarified that maintaining law and order falls under the responsibility of state governments.
To address the issue, the central government has urged all state Chief Secretaries and Union Territory administrators to take legal action against these unauthorized institutions. Steps include shutting them down and ensuring strict penalties for those misleading students. As part of this crackdown, 12 fake universities have been closed since 2014.
List of fake universities notified by the UGC
Below is the list of institutions declared fake by the UGC:
| State | University Name |
| Andhra Pradesh | Christ New Testament Deemed University, Guntur |
| Bible Open University of India, Visakhapatnam | |
| Delhi | All India Institute of Public & Physical Health Sciences (AIIPHS) |
| Commercial University Ltd., Daryaganj | |
| United Nations University | |
| Vocational University | |
| ADR-Centric Juridical University | |
| Indian Institute of Science and Engineering | |
| Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment | |
| Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University) | |
| Karnataka | Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University Education Society |
| Kerala | St. John’s University, Kishanattam |
| International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM), Kozhikode | |
| Maharashtra | Raja Arabic University, Nagpur |
| Puducherry | Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education |
| Uttar Pradesh | Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Prayagraj |
| Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Open University), Aligarh | |
| Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow | |
| Mahamaya Technical University, Noida | |
| West Bengal | Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, Kolkata |
| Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research, Kolkata |
Additional Measures Taken
To prevent students from falling victim to fake universities, the UGC has been actively issuing public notices through its official website and social media platforms. The government has also taken legal action by filing FIRs against self-proclaimed universities and issuing show-cause or warning notices to unauthorized institutions granting invalid degrees.
Students are strongly advised to verify the accreditation status of any university before enrolling to ensure that their degree is recognized and holds value for future education and employment opportunities.
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