
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has listed 21 institutions as fake universities on its website. These universities have been flagged for misrepresentation, and tagging themselves as 'legitimate' institutes for higher education, reported The Indian Express, on Wednesday, February 5.
Since 2014, as many as 12 of these fake universities have been closed. The Central government has urged state and union territory (UT) administrations to take legal measures for the closure of the 21 fake universities and prosecute those responsible for defrauding students by issuing invalid degrees.
In a written response to a Lok Sabha question, Dr Sukanta Majumdar, Minister of State for Education, emphasised that maintaining law and order is the responsibility of state governments.
As a result, the government has requested the chief secretaries of states and Union Territories to take appropriate legal action, reported The Indian Express.