Parliament Question: Fake Universities in the Country

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4957 ANSWERED ON – 23/03/2026 Fake Universities in the Country †4957. Dr. Rajkumar Sangwan: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the details of the number of fake universities identified in the country; (b) the specific action taken by the University Grants Commission (UGC) against such fake universities during the last four years and the current year, including the number of FIRs registered and notices issued; (c) the other measures taken by the Government, apart from issuing notices to create public awareness about such fake universities and to safeguard the interests of students; (d) whether the Union Government has requested the State Governments/UT Administrations to take action against fake universities operating within their jurisdictions; and (e) if so, the details thereof along with the nature of action requested to be taken by them? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR) (a) to (e): Education is in the concurrent list and both the Central Government and the State Governments work together for development of education in India. The list of fake universities is available on the website of the University Grants Commission (UGC) at https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/Fakeuniversity. Currently, 32 Institutions figure in the list. During the last four years and the current year, the following actions have been undertaken by the UGC with regard to self-styled or fake institutions/universities: (i) Issued clarifications/compliance letters/show-cause/warning notices to the fake institutions. (ii) Published Public Notices on the UGC website to caution Students and Public at Large against such self-styled institutions. (iii) Letters have been issued to the Chief Secretaries, Education Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of the concerned States/UTs, requesting them to take suitable action against such self-styled fake universities/institutions and to register FIRagainst these self-styled educational institutions which are operating in violation of the UGC Act, 1956. Maintenance of Law and order is a subject matter of State Governments. Accordingly, the Central Government has requested to Chief Secretaries of all the State Governments and U.T. Administration to take legal action for closure of these institutions and take appropriate action against those involved in defrauding and cheating students by misrepresenting themselves as "Universities", awarding degrees and using the word "University" with their name. It was also requested to intimate the Central Government /UGC if there are other fake Universities functioning in their States/UTs which are not included in the UGC list of Fake Universities. *****