UGC Issues Public Notice To Warn Students Against Fake Online Courses

Many students prefer to opt for online courses to further their studies. They have a wide range of options to choose from, some even offering degrees. Since numerous options are available at our disposal, one is at a risk of ending up with fraudsters. With this regard, the UGC (University Grants Commission) has issued a warning notice to those planning to enrol in online courses. The UGC has urged students planning to continue their education online, to stay cautious of fake degree programs. As per reports, these fraud organisations use false abbreviations to imitate relevant qualifications or schemes to destroy the student’s career. The commission highlighted the “10-day MBA program” as an example of such fraud.

The public notice stated, “Some individuals/organisations are offering online programs/courses with acronyms/abbreviated forms similar to the higher education system’s recognised degree programs.” UGC secretary, Professor Manish R Joshi, further stated in the notice that they form a degree nomenclature, duration and entry qualifications through a formal notification in its official gazette. It is only done after an approval from the central government.

According to more information, the universities recognised under central, provincial, or state acts and authorised by the Parliament act have the right to confer degrees.

Manish R Joshi added, “Higher education institutions are also required to obtain approval from the UGC to offer any online degree program in terms of the UGC regulations.” An authorised list of the HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) offering online courses and the permitted online courses, is available at the website, deb.ugc.ac.in. The Commission advises the candidates to thoroughly verify the legitimacy of any online program they plan to enrol in. It can also be done through contacting the respective institution, to inquire on your preferred program.

The official X account of UGC shared the notice through a tweet. It stated, “UGC issues a public notice regarding misleading abbreviations in the names of Universities & Colleges.” The University Grants Commission operates under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India.

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