Beware! Two Odisha universities found fake among 23 across India

Bhubaneswar: Two institutes from Odisha figure in the list of 23 fake universities operating in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC), the higher education regulator, said today.

The two fake institutions in Odisha are — Nababharat Shiksha Parishad in Rourkela and North Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, University Road, Baripada in Mayurbhanj.

As per a public notice issued by the UGC, eight of these fake universities are in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Delhi (7). Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Puducherry have a fake university each.

According to the Commission, the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 under Section 22(1) provides that a degree can be awarded, only by a University established under a Central, State/Provincial Act or an institution deemed to be university under Section 3 of the UGC Act or an Institution especially empowered by an Act of Parliament to confer the degree.

Further, it also said Section 23 of the UGC Act prohibits the use of word “University” by any institution other than a university established as stated above.