The University Grants Commission (UGC) has officially released a list of 22 fake universities operating across India without the legal authority to confer degrees. Among these, nine institutions are located in Delhi, making the national capital the biggest hub of unrecognized universities.
In a public notice, UGC Chairperson Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar cautioned students and parents against seeking admission in such institutions, emphasizing that these organizations are not established under Section 2(f) or Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, and are therefore not authorized to award degrees.
Delhi Tops the List with Nine Fake Universities
According to the UGC notification, the following fake universities are operating in Delhi:
1. All India Institute of Public & Physical Health Sciences (AIIPHS), Alipur
2. Commercial University Ltd., Daryaganj
3. United Nations University, Delhi
4. Vocational University, Delhi
5. ADR-Centric Juridical University, Rajouri Garden
6. Indian Institution of Science and Engineering, New Delhi
7. Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University), Rohini
8. Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment, Delhi
9. Institute of Management and Engineering, Kotla Mubarakpur
Fake Universities in Other States
The UGC list also includes several other institutions from different states such as Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Kerala, and Maharashtra. Some of them are:
- Uttar Pradesh: Gurukul Vishwavidyalaya (Vrindavan), Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Aligarh)
- Andhra Pradesh: Christ New Testament Deemed University (Guntur)
- West Bengal: Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine (Kolkata)
- Karnataka: Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University (Belgaum)
- Kerala: St. John’s University (Kishanattam)
UGC’s Warning and Advice to Students
The UGC reiterated that degrees issued by these institutions are invalid for both employment and higher education. It urged students to verify the status of any university through the official website — www.ugc.gov.in — before enrolling.
The Commission also requested state governments to take stringent action against these fraudulent institutions to safeguard the interests of students.
How to Verify a University’s Authenticity
Students can verify whether a university is recognized by:
Checking the UGC’s official list of approved and fake universities on its website.
Ensuring that the university is established under a Central, State, or Private Act and falls under Section 2(f) or 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.
