The UGC has warned students not to take admission in PhD programmes offered by the three universities. (File image)

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has debarred three universities in Rajasthan from enrolling PhD students for five years for having violated norms while awarding PhD degrees.

OPJS University in Churu, Sunrise University in Alwar, and Singhania University in Jhunjhunu have been debarred from enrolling students under their PhD program for the next five years, that is from 2025-26 to 2029-30.

UGC sends notice

According to a notice issued by the UGC on Thursday, a standing committee was constituted to monitor whether universities are awarding PhD degrees in accordance with UGC regulations. This committee had found that these three universities were not complying with norms, and they were given an opportunity to explain why. Their responses were not found to be satisfactory, and they have now been directed to immediately discontinue enrolling PhD students.

The UGC has warned students not to take admission in PhD programmes offered by these universities, stating that the PhDs awarded by them will no longer be valid.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said: ?Universities should be committed to maintaining the highest standards in PhD programmes. UGC will take appropriate action against institutions that fail to follow UGC?s PhD regulations. We are also in the process of checking the quality of PhD programs in a few other universities. If they are found to violate the PhD regulations, action will be taken against them too. It is necessary to single out such erring institutions and prevent them from admitting PhD students. We should ensure that the integrity and global reputation of Indian higher education remain uncompromised.?

In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha last month on ?private universities selling degrees?, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar had listed ten private universities and said that the UGC had received complaints against them through the Central Vigilance Commission alleging that they were selling fabricated PhD degrees.

OPJS University and Singhania University were among the ten that were listed in the response.

The response had also said that the government of Rajasthan had debarred OPJS University, Churu, from taking admission for the academic year 2024-25, and that ?the UGC has also debarred OPJS University, Rajasthan? from ?enrolling scholars for PhD programme from December 2023.? (Indian Express: Text, Excluding Headline)

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