UGC issues notices to 54 private varsities for failing to disclose mandatory information

New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued notices to 54 private universities across several states for failing to comply with disclosure norms mandated under its regulations.

"It has been noticed that 54 state private universities have not submitted the information under section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, or have not uploaded the public self-disclosure information on their respective website," the notice said.

These institutions have not uploaded essential information about their functioning on their official websites, despite repeated reminders, it said.

According to UGC guidelines, every university is required to make self-disclosure of key details of courses offered, research activities, faculty information, student strength, infrastructure, financial system, and related academic activities available to the public.

It said this information must be accessible without the need for log-ins or registrations, ensuring transparency and easy access for students, parents, and other stakeholders.

However, despite several reminders through official letters, emails, and discussions in online meetings, 54 universities have failed to comply.

The UGC has now made public the list of these non-compliant institutions, which includes private universities from states such as Gujarat, Haryana, Assam, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Manipur, Sikkim, Tripura, and Madhya Pradesh, among others.

UGC Secretary Professor Manish Joshi has written to all these universities, directing them to immediately furnish the required details both on their websites and to the Commission.

In his letter, he stressed that "students and parents must have access to complete and authentic information about higher education institutions before making crucial decisions".

Some of the universities have reportedly started reviewing their documents and updating their portals, while others have promised to comply soon.

The UGC, however, has clarified that uploading the information on the institutional website alone is not enough and the details must also be submitted to the Commission for monitoring.

The Commission reiterated that the disclosure system is designed to strengthen accountability, build trust among stakeholders, and ensure that higher education institutions operate in a transparent manner.

The complete list of 54 non-compliant universities is available on the official UGC website.

--IANS

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