UGC declares 54 state private universities as defaulters for non-compliance

New Delhi: At least 54 state private universities have been declared defaulters by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for failing to submit mandatory information under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, and for not making public disclosures on their websites, officials said.

UGC Secretary Manish Joshi said the universities were repeatedly reminded through emails and online meetings to submit detailed information for inspection, along with supporting documents duly attested by the registrar. “They were also directed to upload the filled-in format and appendices on their websites, providing a link on the home page so the information is accessible to students and the general public,” he added.

According to the UGC’s public self-disclosure guidelines, higher education institutions must maintain functional websites for imparting information to stakeholders. “The information disclosed on the website should be easily accessible on the home page without any need for registration or login. Additionally, there should be a search facility for easy navigation,” the guidelines state.

Madhya Pradesh led the list with 10 defaulter universities, followed by Gujarat with eight, Sikkim with five, and Uttarakhand with four such institutions.

The UGC has circulated the list of defaulting universities and warned them to take corrective measures immediately. Officials said further action could follow if institutions continue to ignore the directives.

The regulator has intensified monitoring of private universities in recent months. In July, it had issued warnings to 23 institutions for failing to appoint ombudspersons.

With PTI inputs