The University Grants Commission (UGC) identified 32 fake universities spread across 12 Indian states that have been operating without any legal authority. Delhi leads the pack with 12 such institutions, raising serious questions about how these entities continue functioning right under the nose of regulatory authorities.
The numbers tell a disturbing story. Just two years ago, the count stood at 20. Now it’s jumped to 32, reflecting an alarming growth in fraudulent educational operations. The statutory body has issued a fresh warning to students and parents: stay away from these institutions that operate without UGC Act recognition and cannot issue legally valid degrees.
According to the UGC, an institution can only use the word ‘University’ if it is established under a Central, Provincial, or State Act. Specifically, Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956, defines a ‘University’ as an entity incorporated by these Acts. Without this recognition, any institution calling itself a university is operating in violation of the law.
Four new states have joined the list this time around—Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh, each reporting one fake university within their borders. The UGC has specifically called out Global Human Peace University operating in Bengaluru, making it crystal clear that the entity has no authorization to function as a university.
Delhi Tops Chart With 12 fake university
Delhi’s dozen unauthorised institutions dominate the list. What’s more concerning is that several of these operate under names that sound startlingly similar to genuine academic institutions. Some are even reportedly situated close to regulatory offices, which raises uncomfortable questions about monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.
Uttar Pradesh comes in second with four entries on the shame list, followed by multiple states reporting two each—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, and West Bengal. The names range from the official-sounding to the bizarre. Gandhi Hindi Vidyapeeth in Prayagraj and the Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine made the cut. So did Magic and Art University in Faridabad, Haryana, and Daksha University in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Odisha, notably, has been spared—no fake university has been reported operating there according to the commission.
The UGC’s warning is stark: these institutions con students by handing out degrees that carry no statutory approval, essentially destroying their academic credentials and sabotaging future career paths. The commission has urged aspiring students to cross-check any university’s recognition status on the official UGC website before putting down admission money.
Education sector observers point out that these fake universities have a playbook: dangle the carrot of quick degrees, charge rock-bottom fees, and offer flexible learning schedules. Most operate without proper infrastructure, qualified teaching staff, or any semblance of academic standards. The game has gotten trickier in recent years, with some claiming foreign partnerships or international accreditation, making it harder for students to separate wheat from chaff.
The UGC keeps publishing and updating its fake university list to spread awareness, yet these institutions somehow keep running despite repeated public alerts.
With admission season around the corner, the commission has doubled down on its advisory: degrees from these entities are worthless for jobs, further education, or government service positions.
Full List of Fake Universities State-Wise
Delhi (12) World Peace of United Nations University (WPUNU), Institute of Management and Engineering, All India Institute of Public & Physical Health Sciences (AIIPHS) State Government University, Commercial University Ltd., United Nations University, Vocational University, ADR-Centric Juridical University, Indian Institute of Science and Engineering, Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment, Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Spiritual University), National Institute of Management Solution, Mountain Institute of Management & Technology
Uttar Pradesh (4) Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith, Prayagraj Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose University (Open University), Aligarh Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad, Lucknow Mahamaya Technical University, Noida
Andhra Pradesh (2) Christ New Testament Deemed University, Guntur Bible Open University of India, Visakhapatnam
Haryana (1) Magic & Art University, Faridabad
Arunachal Pradesh (1) Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine
Karnataka (2) Sarva Bharatiya Shiksha Peeth, Tumkur Global Human Peace University, Bengaluru
Jharkhand (1) Daksha University (Vocational and Life Skill Education), Ranchi
Maharashtra (2) Raja Arabic University, Nagpur National Backward Krushi Vidyapeeth, Solapur
Kerala (2) International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM), Kozhikode St John’s University
Puducherry (2) Usha Latchumanan College of Education Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education
West Bengal (2) Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine, Kolkata Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research, Kolkata
Rajasthan (1) Rajeev Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management, Bhiwadi
The UGC, functioning as a statutory body under the Department of Higher Education within the Ministry of Education, has made clear that these institutions hold recognition from neither the Central Government nor any State Government. Invoking Sections 2(f) and 3 of the UGC Act, the commission emphasized that degrees issued by these entities carry zero legal weight for employment, higher studies, or public sector jobs.
