UGC Declares 54 State Private Universities as Defaulters

PTI, NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025 : At least 54 state private universities have been declared defaulters by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for not submitting mandatory information under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956, and failing to make public disclosures on their websites, according to officials.

Citing several reminders through emails and online meetings, the UGC stated that the universities had been directed to submit detailed information for inspection purposes, along with supporting documents duly attested by the registrar.

“They were also directed to upload the completed forms and appendices on their website, with a link on the homepage to ensure that the information is accessible to students and the general public. This was followed by several reminders through emails and online meetings,” UGC Secretary Manish Joshi said.

According to the guidelines on public self-disclosure, higher education institutions must maintain a functional website for imparting information to stakeholders. "The information disclosed on the website should be easily accessible to everyone, on the homepage, without any need for registration or login. Additionally, there should be a 'search' facility available for easy navigation," the guideline stated.

Madhya Pradesh, with 10 institutions, had the highest number of defaulter universities, followed by Gujarat, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand, with eight, five, and four institutions, respectively.

The UGC circulated the list of defaulting universities and warned them to take corrective steps immediately. According to UGC officials, further action could follow if the institutions continue to ignore the instructions. The higher education regulator has recently tightened its monitoring of private universities. In July, it had warned 23 institutions for not appointing ombudspersons.