The government has closed 12 fake universities between 2014 and 2024, according to Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar. On Monday, Majumdar informed the Lok Sabha that the central government had instructed chief secretaries of all states and Union Territories to take legal action against these institutions.
Majumdar urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to raise awareness about 21 fake universities operating in various states. He appealed to MPs, especially those with large social media followings, to share the list of these fraudulent universities on their platforms to prevent students from being misled.
The minister also highlighted that state governments were asked to take action against those deceiving students by falsely claiming to be universities, offering invalid degrees, or using the term “university” without authorization. He emphasized that direct intervention by the central government could raise concerns over federalism.
Majumdar also requested that state and Union Territory governments inform the central government or the University Grants Commission (UGC) about any additional fake universities not listed in the UGC’s database. He added that FIRs had been filed against several fraudulent institutions, and warning notices were issued to unauthorized bodies awarding degrees without recognition.