Taking note of advertisements published in national dailies offering degrees through various franchisee programmes conducted by private universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday warned students against getting influenced by such advertisements. It has also taken a serious view of these ‘misleading’ advertisements appearing in various newspapers. These private establishments claiming to be study centres or learning centres of different universities enrol students for various degree programmes and also claim to be responsible for teaching and the conduct of examinations. The faculty and the infrastructure belong to these private agencies and the concerned university, except providing syllabus and teaching materials, has no mechanism to monitor and maintain the academic standards of teaching being imparted at these centres, a statement issued by the UGC said. “This blatant compromise with the standards of education has led to widespread criticism,” it added.
It has asked students not to take admission in unapproved study centres, off-campus centres, franchisee institutions, colleges/institutions claiming to be affiliated with private universities or deemed universities.
The UGC has said a Central or State government university could conduct courses through its own departments, its constituent colleges and/or through its affiliate colleges. A university established or incorporated by or under the State Act should operate only within the territorial jurisdiction allotted to it under the Act.
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Similarly, private universities and deemed universities could not affiliate any college or institution for conducting courses leading to the award of its diploma, degree or other qualifications.
The UGC further said no university — whether Central, State, private or deemed — could offer its courses through franchising arrangement with private coaching institutions, even for the purpose of conducting courses through long distance. All universities have been authorised to award only such degrees as are specified by the UGC. Importantly, the M.Phil/Ph.D course could not be run under distance mode and had to be conducted on only regular mode by any university, including private or deemed universities, and as specified under the Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil/Ph.D Degree, Regulations 2009.