SHILLONG, JUN 12: The University Grant Commission (UGC) has issued advisory to students against seeking admission in private universities in the different states of the country saying it has found that most of these universities have violated the UGC (Establishment and Maintenance of Standards in Private University) Regulation 2003.
At the same time, the UGC also stated that these universities have violated the Supreme Court order by setting up off campus and franchise without permission.
In a public notice issued recently, the Commission has caution the students and their parents to be alert before deciding to get admission in private universities by checking the UGC website.
The UGC has also constituted an expert committee to look into allegations leveled against the CMJ University in Meghalaya following the directives issued by the Governor, RS Mooshahary.
“Most of the universities have started off-campus centres which are in contravention to the UGC (Establishment and Maintenance of Standards in Private University) Regulation 2003 and Supreme order,” UGC secretary observed in the public notice.
Informing that a total of 158 private universities have been passed by State Act of different state governments, the Commission said, “These universities can award degrees as per approval of the UGC under section 22 of the UGC Act after getting the approval of the statutory council.”
However, it maintained that these private universities cannot set up off campus centres beyond the jurisdiction of the state they are established adding that they can only set up off campus after completing five years along with permission from the UGC.
Mentionably, in Meghalaya there are many private universities that have been established through the State Act. These include-Martin Luther Christian University, William Carey University, Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University, University of Science & Technology. Tehno Global University, CMJ University, Mahatma Gandhi University, Ranjit Lal University and International Open University.
Of these, MLCU has set up three off campus including – Tura Campus and Jowai Campus in 2007 and Nongtalang Campus in 2008 which is only three years after the University was established in Shillong in 2006 which is in violation of the UGC Act.
The expert committee of the UGC headed by Prof BS Sonde as chairman inspected the MLCU and found that the university has violated the UGC Act. In its recommendation to the UGC, the Committee has suggested closure of the three off campuses set up by the MLCU.
Apart from MLCU, the CMJ University has recently been closed down by the CID for similar irregularities of setting up off campuses outside state and country – Ghana and Dewbah in Africa. The National Accreditation Board of Ghana has also dissolute the CMJ University and stopped the enrollment of students in the university. –By Our Reporter
There are private fashion institutes in Delhi which are affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Meghalaya. These institutes are functioning as Study Centres/Regional Centres under the guise of “technical collaboration” with MGU Meghalaya. The degree courses in fashion design and interior design claim to be offered and awarded by MGU Meghalaya and regular classes are conducted at their premises. However, in the original prospectus of MGU Meghalaya there is no mention of such courses and neither is there any mention of career prospects as an interior designer and fashion designer. Nor is there any mention of these courses in the University’s website before February 2013.
Fashionista – The School of Fashion Technology, Ansal Plaza, Khel Gaon Marg, New Delhi, was recently in the news as one of the students had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court. This private fashion institute has a “technical collaboration” since 2011 with MGU Meghalaya and is functioning as a Regional Centre/Study Centre of MGU. According to the news: “The plea sought direction to blacklist Fashionista – The School of Fashion Technology, declare it illegal and take penal action against those managing it as it had got its affiliation illegally.”
Fashionista was earlier functioning as a Learning Centre of Punjab Technical University (PTU).
The University Grants Commission (UGC) had informed MGU Meghalaya vide letter dated 11th April 2011 to adhere on the following:
“No off-campus centre(s) is opened by the University outside the territorial jurisdiction of the State in view of the judgment of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in case of Prof. Yash Pal Vs. State of Chattisgarh.”
“In case the University has already started any off-campus centre outside the State, it must be closed immediately.”
The Distance Education Council (DEC) had informed MGU Meghalaya vide letter dated 8th August 2011 saying, “The territorial jurisdiction for offering programmes through distance mode by your institution shall be the head quarters of the University as per the notification of the UGC and as per DEC norms. The Distance Education Council prohibits franchising of Study Centres. Thus, your Institution will not franchise any Study Centre in any part of the country or abroad.”
According to news reports in 2012, the Meghalaya Government had imposed a restriction on private universities in the State from opening and running off- campus centres. It was informed that private universities which are already running off-campus centres should immediately close their operations. Both UGC and DEC had informed MGU Meghalaya of the Rules and Regulations vide letters dated 11th April 2011 and 8th August 2011 respectively, but MGU Meghalaya appears to have chosen to ignore these Rules and Regulations and was quick to advertise setting up of Regional Centres/Study Centres through franchising by affiliating private institutes under the guise of “technical collaboration”.
According to a recent news report published in the Daily Pioneer, the UGC has been probing the activities of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Meghalaya for the last five months. MGU has opened several study centres across the country by flouting norms laid down by the Centre, State and UGC. According to a HRD Official, MGU Meghalaya has violated all norms and opened study centres beyond its territorial jurisdiction.
I took the admission in delhi thru study center of MGU, Meghalaya in MBA in Aug 2013. I was not aware of restriction rule by UGC. The university took Rs 26000 for 2 sem. Now studycenter is incapable of taking exams for II sem. The degree even donot looking eligible for further PHD programmes. How to refund my money? Pls help me.
Issue of Study Centres and Interior/Fashion Design Courses of MGU Meghalaya
This letter is in continuation of my earlier letter titled “MGU violates territorial jurisdiction” published in The Shillong Times on 23rd May 2013.
As mentioned previously, a Delhi-based fashion institute, Fashionista – The School of Fashion Technology has been functioning as a Study Centre of Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Meghalaya, under the guise of “technical collaboration”. This institute has been conducting regular classes at its premises for interior design and fashion design degree courses, the degrees which are being claimed to be awarded by MGU Meghalaya.
When it came to be known that the interior design and fashion design degree courses were not mentioned in the original prospectus and website of MGU Meghalaya, then to retrieve the details regarding the validity of these above-mentioned courses, the Right to Information (RTI) Act was invoked.
The Distance Education Council (DEC) vide its Letter No. DEC/G-107/Vol.122/2013/20073 dated 20th February 2013 had informed that:
“Distance Education Council has not given recognition to Mahatma Gandhi University, Shillong to offer Interior Design and Fashion Designing through distance mode.”
It was further informed that:
“The Distance Education Council (DEC) does not allow any franchising of study centre by any University. The Study Centres are opened by the University as per provisions contained in its Act and Statutes within the territorial jurisdiction. DEC has not given any authorization to MGU, Shillong to have any kind of technical collaboration.”
Recently in an article titled “MGU allays students fears” published in The Shillong Times dated 19th May 2013, MGU Meghalaya “claimed that it has received approval from the UGC and Distance Education Council (DEC) and the tripartite of the UGC-All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE)-DEC, which is a statutory body for running distance education programme passed by the Act of Parliament and on the basis of this approval, the University can run their distance education programme.”
In reply to another RTI Application, the DEC vide Letter No. DEC/G-107/Vol.125/2013/20476 dated 12th March 2013 informs about the “approval and recognition” status of MGU Meghalaya:
“Based on the decision of the Distance Education Council and Tripartite Committee, Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya had been accorded recognition for a period of three academic years w.e.f 2011-12 – 2013-14 for offering specific programmes through distance mode.”
It was also informed that:
“The DEC in its 40th Meeting decided on the policy of territorial jurisdiction in respect of the Open and Distance Learning Institutions. In case of State University (both Govt. Funded and private), the territorial jurisdiction will be as per the Acts and Statutes but not beyond the boundaries of their respective states. Hence, in case of Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya, the territorial jurisdiction is state of Meghalaya only.”
In addition to these replies, DEC had also provided a copy of the recognition letter addressed to MGU Meghalaya, in which the list of specific programmes was given. Vide Letter No.DEC/MGU/TURA/MGH/2011/6511 dated 3rd August 2011, it was informed by DEC that based on the decision of the Distance Education Council and the Tripartite Committee, MGU Meghalaya has been accorded recognition for a period of three academic years w.e.f. academic year 2011-12 to academic year 2013-14. The list of specific programmes to be offered through distance education mode was mentioned.
Further the University was asked to note that:
“The Institution will offer only such programmes through distance mode which are offered by the Institution through regular face-to-face mode and approved by the Distance Education Council as mentioned in this letter. The Institution will not offer any other programme through distance mode other than those approved by the Distance Education Council.
It will be the responsibility of the Institution to follow the norms prescribed by the Regulatory Bodies, and seek their approval, wherever required.
The territorial jurisdiction for offering programmes through distance mode by your institution shall be the headquarters of the University as per the notification of the UGC and as per DEC norms.
The Distance Education Council prohibits franchising of Study Centres. Thus, your Institution will not franchise any Study Centre in any part of the country or abroad.”
A letter dated 11th April 2011 addressed to MGU Meghalaya by the University Grants Commission (UGC) was also received in reply to another RTI Application submitted in the Office of UGC. In this letter, MGU Meghalaya was notified by UGC that:
“Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya has been established by an Act (No.6 of 2011) of State Legislature of Meghalaya as a State Private University and is empowered to award degrees as specified by the UGC under Section 22 of the UGC Act 1956 through its main campus in regular mode with the approval of statutory bodies/councils, wherever required.”
UGC informs MGU Meghalaya:
“As per the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Prof. Yashpal Vs. State of Chhattisgarh there is no provision to have Regional Centres/Off Campus beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the state.
Keeping in view of the above, you are requested to adhere on the following:
No off-campus centre(s) is opened by the University outside the territorial jurisdiction of the State in view of the judgement of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in case of Prof. Yash Pal Vs. State of Chhattisgarh.
In case the University has already started any off campus centre outside the State, it must be closed immediately. It may also be ensured that any off-campus centre within the State shall be opened only as per the provision laid down in the UGC (Establishment of and maintenance at standards in Private University) Regulation 2003 and with the prior approval of UGC.
The University shall not have any affiliated colleges.”
In its recent Public Notice dated 27th June 2013 on Courses/Study Centres/Off-Campuses & Territorial Jurisdiction of Universities, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has advised the students not to take admission in the unapproved Study Centres, Off-Campus Centres, Franchisee Institutions, Colleges/Institutions claiming to be affiliated with Private Universities or Deemed Universities. The news of this Public Notice had also been published in the Media.
It is worth mentioning that in the news titled “34 private varsities run illegal study centres” dated 15 April 2013 published in The Pioneer, there has been reference to MGU Meghalaya. The following paragraph is from this news article:
“One such case, which the UGC has been probing for the last five months, is about Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) ‘operating’ from North-eastern State of Meghalaya. It has opened several study centres across the country by flouting norms laid by the Centre, State and UGC.
‘It has violated all norms and opened study centres beyond its territorial jurisdiction. Located at West Garo Hills, the MGU has not been authorised to run courses beyond the State of Meghalaya as per the regulations of Distance Education Council,” said a HRD official.”
There are many questions for MGU Meghalaya which it needs to answer.
On the issue of interior/fashion design degree courses, MGU Meghalaya must answer which is the correct nomenclature being used:
1. Are the courses conducted at Delhi-based Fashionista, the degrees claimed to be awarded by MGU Meghalaya, having the correct nomenclatures?
2. Are the courses conducted at another private fashion institute, located at a walking distance from the North Delhi Coordinating Office of MGU, having the correct nomenclatures?
3. Are the nomenclatures of the interior/fashion courses which are displayed now on the website of MGU Meghalaya, the correct nomenclatures?
But then DEC has already informed under the RTI Act that it has not given recognition to Mahatma Gandhi University, Shillong to offer Interior Design and Fashion Designing through distance mode. So, who designed the Syllabus and Study Material for these courses already being conducted at these private fashion institutes – MGU Meghalaya or the private fashion institutes themselves?
MGU Meghalaya owes an explanation regarding these above-mentioned courses and its arrangements with private fashion institutes which are functioning as “Study Centres” under the guise of “technical collaboration”.
recently i have attended hearing of cmj university in shillong according validation of my b.tech degree. as i attended approximately in march of 2014 and i din’t get any information about my hearing so i want to put rti for that and while applying online i don’t know which department should be select.