(a) the details of irregularities committed by EIILM and Chandra Mohan Jha (CMJ) Universities located in North-Eastern States of Sikkim and Meghalaya during the last three years;
(b) the number of legal actions pending against these universities; and
(c) the action taken by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate against these universities?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a): A number of complaints have been received in the Ministry as well as the University Grants Commission (UGC) from individuals across the country against Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM) University and Chandra Mohan Jha (CMJ) University during the last three years regarding irregularities being committed by these two Universities. Complaints in relation to EIILM University are broadly about numerous programmes running through distance mode, opening of unauthorized study centre(s), franchising of higher education, issuing degrees to students without conducting any examinations or practicals, misleading students by promoting wrong information on website, selling degrees by charging money instead of providing classes or conducting exams, selling degrees in India, conducting programmes through collaborative mode with Industries/firms/ companies and abroad by conducting courses in one sitting and establishment of off-shore campus at Mauritius. As far as CMJ University is concerned, complaints are mainly related to the courses run outside its territorial jurisdiction and also in the off- campuses/study centres established by the University without the approval of UGC and the State Government. Some of the complaints are about Ph.D. programmes run by this University. These complaints were about back dated registration, no entrance examination and about not following UGC M. Phil / Ph. D Regulations. An UGC Expert Committee visited CMJ University on 01.08.2013 along with the nominees from AICTE and NCTE.
The Committee recommended that “In view of the fact that CMJ University does not have the requisite infrastructure for running all the academic programmes as well as the fact that a large number of complaints has been received by the UGC, highlighting deviations from the UGC norms and standards, the Committee strongly recommends that appropriate action be taken by the UGC.” Thereafter UGC vide letter No. F. 8-21/ 2010(CPP-I/PU) dated 22.10.2013 forwarded a copy of the report to the Governor Secretariat, Meghalaya and Chief Secretary, Meghalaya Government with the request to take appropriate action against CMJ University as per the provisions of the University Act or any other law as the Governor Secretariat/State Government deems fit. The Governor Secretariat/ Meghalaya Government were also requested to take a decision about the validity of the degrees already awarded by CMJ University in the past keeping in view that only those degrees can be termed as valid for which courses were conducted by CMJ University in regular mode at its main campus at Shillong and that too with the prior approval of Statutory Council(s) concerned, wherever, required. It was also informed that M.Phil/Ph.D. can be conducted by any University in regular mode at the main campus and as per the provisions contained in the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awards of M.Phil/Ph.D. Degree), Regulations, 2009.
(b): There are a number of cases related to these two universities in various Courts in the country, which are sub-judice.
(c): These details are not maintained by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.