Stay clear of unauthorized courses and fake varsities: Warns UGC

Having noticed the advertisements published in many national newspapers that offer diploma/degree courses through franchisee programs conducted by private or deemed universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) warned students against it, advising to stay clear of such advertisements. This also nudges a serious assessment of these deceptive advertisements having been appeared in various newspapers.
Justifying themselves as study centers or learning centers of different universities, these private agencies usually enroll students for various degree programs while claiming to be responsible for teaching and the conduct of examinations. The educational infrastructure belong to these private agencies and the concerned university has no mechanism to monitor and maintain the academic standards of teaching being imparted at these centers, except providing syllabus and teaching materials, claims UGC.
UGC has urged to students to not to take admissions in any unapproved study centers, off-campus centers, or franchisee institutions that claims to be affiliated with private universities or deemed universities.
A Central or State government university may conduct courses only through its own departments, its constituent colleges and/or through its affiliate colleges, asserted UGC. According to constitutional regulation, a university established or incorporated by or under the State Act should be active only within the territorial jurisdiction allotted to it, and in no case beyond the territory of the State.
Similarly, private universities and deemed universities cannot approve affiliations to any college or institution for offering courses leading to the award of its diploma, degree or other qualifications, cleared UGC.
The UGC further stated that no university — whether Central, State, private or deemed — can offer its courses through any sort of franchising agreement with private coaching institutions, not even for the purpose of conducting courses through long distance education system. All the approved universities have been authorized to award only such degrees that are specified by the UGC only. Last but not the least, the M.Phil/Ph.D course cannot be conducted under distance mode. Post post-graduation courses   must be run through only regular mode by UGC approved universities, including private or deemed both, as specified under the Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil/Ph.D Degree, Regulations 2009.