New DelhiParliament was informed on Monday that there are 21 ‘fake universities’ operating in the country and the respective state governments are taking action.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in a reply in the Lok Sabha said that the list of fake universities is available on the University Grants Commission (UGC) website https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/Fakeuniversity.
Of these 21 “fake universities”, as many as eight operate in Delhi, according to the website.
The Minister said that the Union Government has requested the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories to take legal action to close down these institutions to prevent these institutions from cheating and deceiving students by misrepresenting themselves as “universities”.
In response to the questions of Sudhir Gupta and Patience Sambhajirao Mane, the minister said that other steps have been taken to alert the general public, students, parents and other stakeholders through public awareness through social media and UGC website. By UGC/Govt against such “fake universities”.
He said that FIRs have been registered against many autonomous institutions/universities and show cause notices/warning notices have been issued to unauthorized institutions awarding illegal degrees.
In response to another question, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar said in the Lok Sabha that the budget allocation for the higher education department has increased by a total of Rs 2875.29 crore in 2024-25 as compared to 2023-24.
The total budget of the department in 2024-25 was Rs 47,619.77 crore as against Rs 44,744.48 crore in 2023-24, Minister of State Majumdar said in response to a question from Dushyant Singh.
In response to a query about public expenditure on institutions of higher education in Rajasthan, the state minister said that a total of Rs 556.86 crore has been released to three centrally-aided higher education institutions in Rajasthan till November 30, 2024 in FY 2024-25. namely IIT Jodhpur, Malviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur and Central University of Rajasthan.
Besides, Rs 535.99 crore was made available for setting up IIM Udaipur and IIIT quota in Rajasthan, the state minister said.
Govt takes action against 21 fake universities, legal action for students’ safety
New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) Twenty-one “fake universities” are operating in the country and respective state governments are taking action against them, Parliament was informed on Monday.