The UGC (University Grants Commission) has suspended the engineering degrees of four deemed to be universities awarded through distance mode. The move comes after the Supreme Court order restrained Universities to offer distance education courses. As per the Apex Court order, no university can offer educational programs through distance mode without approval from UGC. The Supreme Court has also ordered a CBI probe into the grant of retrospective approvals to these four universities.
JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, Allahabad Agricultural Institute (AAI), Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASE), Rajasthan and Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation, Tamil Nadu are the four universities whose degrees have been suspended by UGC. These universities were not justified to introduce new programs in technical education without AICTE approval.
AICTE to conduct the exams for students whose degrees are suspended
As a result, all the engineering degrees awarded by the four deemed to be universities stand suspended UGC as told by the UGC secretary PK Thakur. The Supreme Court has directed the AICTE to conduct tests for students whose degrees are suspended by January 15, 2018. The AICTE is also directed to recover the entire expenditure of conducting the exams from the concerned universities.
Institutes to Refund the tuition fees and other expenses to students
As per UGC norms, these students will be given maximum two chances to clear the examinations. The degrees of those students will be recalled and stand cancelled who fail to qualify the exams in two chances. Moreover, the Supreme Court has directed the engineering institutes to refund the money deposited as tuition fee and other charges by those students who do not wish to take the tests. The entire amount paid by the students is to be refunded latest by May 31, 2018, by the concerned institutes. The students have been given time to take the decision of taking tests until January 15, 2018. This is a big decision taken by UGC in order to cut down deemed universities in India and making sure that no such institutions use the word university in their name.
About UGC (University Grants Commission)
UGC (University Grants Commission) is a statutory body established by the government of India, that provides recognition to the colleges and universities. UGC also grants funds to the approved colleges and universities for running higher education programs.
Source: ndtv.com
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