In a bid to protect students and uphold academic integrity, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has released an updated 2025 list of 21 fake universities operating across India. These institutions lack any legal authority to grant recognized degrees and have been duping learners with misleading names and empty promises of legitimacy. For instance, Andhra Pradesh houses two such names Christ New Testament Deemed University (Guntur) and Bible Open University of India (Visakhapatnam) while Delhi alone hosts a staggering eight fake entities, ranging from Commercial University Ltd. to United Nations University and Spiritual University.
Other affected states include Karnataka (e.g., Badaganvi Sarkar World Open University Education Society, Belgaum), Kerala (such as St. John’s University, Kishanattam), Maharashtra, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. In Uttar Pradesh, four bogus bodies are flagged, including Gandhi Hindi Vidyapeeth and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Open University, Aligarh.
Degrees from these institutions hold no validity for further education, government jobs, or professional licensing. Such fraud can irreversibly derail students’ careers and financial stability.
The UGC advises prospective students and their parents to always cross-check a university’s recognition status on its official website before enrolling. Additionally, suspicious institutions should be reported via email for prompt action.