The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued formal notices to 54 state private universities across 18 states for failing to comply with mandatory guidelines on transparency and disclosure. Despite repeated reminders through email and online meetings, these institutions have not met the requirements set under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956.
The non-compliance involves two major lapses:
1. Universities have not submitted the prescribed formats and documents for inspection under Section 13 of the Act.
2. They have not uploaded mandatory public self-disclosure details on their official websites, as required under guidelines issued on June 10, 2024.
The Disclosure Mandate
The UGC directive requires every higher education institution to:
Maintain a functional, updated website with key institutional information.
Submit detailed compliance data in the prescribed digital format.
Upload appendices and supporting documents online, ensuring easy public access through a home-page link.
The move aims to strengthen accountability and transparency, particularly among private universities that have seen rapid growth in recent years.
Universities Under Scrutiny
The list of defaulting universities spans Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
Some of the institutions named include:
Amity University campuses in Patna, Ranchi, and Mohali
Azim Premji University, Bhopal
Monad University, Hapur (Uttar Pradesh)
Several Sikkim-based global and skill universities
Swami Vivekananda University, West Bengal
Why It Matters
For students, families, and recruiters, transparent information is critical when choosing institutions. Gaps in compliance raise concerns about credibility, affect trust, and can influence academic and career choices.
For universities, failure to follow UGC’s directives may invite further scrutiny and potential penalties. The Commission has urged all defaulting institutions to comply immediately to protect their standing and ensure students are not adversely affected.
The Larger Context
This action reflects UGC’s push to strengthen governance in higher education. With private universities expanding rapidly across India, regulatory oversight is becoming essential to safeguard standards.
The notices underline a central principle: in higher education, autonomy must be balanced with accountability.
