UGC Issues Notices To 54 Private Universities For Non-Compliance With Transparency Rules

University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued notifications to 54 private Indian universities for their failure to comply with the guidelines of public self-disclosure that came into force in June 2024. As per the guidelines, institutions have been requested to put up significant information on their websites so that it becomes accessible to all without login or registration.

What the guidelines require

The UGC's transparency norms are diminishing to allow students, parents and the general public to make informed decisions about higher education. Universities are supposed to provide information on courses, teachers, research activities, facilities, governance and finances. There must be a search option on websites to allow users to locate information with ease.

Despite being reminded multiple times via e-mails and virtual conferences, numerous universities have yet to update their websites and send the documents through their registrar offices. The UGC has issued a notice stating that non-adherence will result in further penalisation in the form of inspections, penalties, or other regulatory measures.

Universities within states

The 54 institutions are distributed over different states, which are Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.

In Gujarat alone, eight universities have been named, including Gandhinagar University, JG University, KN University, MK University, Transstadia University, Plastindia International University, Surendranagar University, and Teamlease Skills University.

Some universities have acted promptly, Sikkim Alpine University has affirmed that it has published all necessary information and presented the necessary documents to the UGC, and is now requesting exclusion from the defaulter list. Some other universities, however, have not issued a public statement, leaving the UGC to continue to scrutinise compliance carefully.