Question : ADMISSION IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

(a) whether the Government is aware that tauts/middlemen who are cheating the students on the pretext to get them admission in various colleges and universities are operating across the country;

(b) if so, the details of complaints received by the Government during the last three years and the current year, State-wise, year-wise;

(c) the action taken by the Government to deal with these tauts/middlemen;

(d) whether the Government has taken any steps to make enrolment procedure transparent; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) to (c): In order to make public aware of the dubious institutions offering unspecified courses and opening of study centres, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued public notices on fake Universities and also listed these on its website at www.ugc.ac.in. It has also issued public notice on Courses/Study Centres /Off Campuses and Territorial Jurisdiction of Universities in leading newspapers, for general awareness. While the list of complaints against touts/middlemen, who are cheating students, are not centrally maintained, all such complaints are sent to the State Government/ UGC/ University concerned for appropriate action. Recently the Ministry of External Affairs has informed this Ministry that instances have been reported when several lesser known Indian Universities are sending representatives abroad to solicit admissions and collect money using services of unregistered Agents in violation of local laws. The UGC has instructed these Universities to refrain from indulging in such activities and take strict action against errant officials. In another matter, some institutions which were not affiliated to Universities were alleged to have promised grant of degrees to students. Cases were filed in Delhi High Court against these institutions by the students and these are sub-judice. MHRD and the UGC are respondents in these cases.

(d) & (e): As per the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012 every higher educational institution shall publish, before expiry of sixty days prior to the date of the commencement of the admission to any of its courses or programmes of study, a prospectus containing component of fees, number of seats approved by statutory body, conditions of eligibility for admission, required educational qualifications, process of admission and selection of eligible candidates, details of teaching faculty etc.

The Regulations are available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/0588502_ English. pdf