Union Ministry of State for Human Resource Development Satya Pal Singh while responding to a question in the Lok Sabha earlier this week said that it has identified as many as 277 colleges offering engineering and other technical studies degrees without All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) approval. National capital Delhi tops the list with 66 such colleges whereas Telangana comes second with 35. West Bengal has 27 such colleges and Karnataka has 23.
Singh said that these colleges have been asked to seek necessary AICTE permission to avoid being shut down. The University Grants Commission (UGC), which is maintaining a list of 24 fake universities, is monitoring on the issue. It has also sent instructions to take steps against such institutes, the minister further added.
AICTE Chairman Anil Sahasrabudhe said that these institutions are neither approved by the council nor are they affiliated to the respective universities. He said if the institution is not approved by the council, they are not affiliated to the university as well. And hence, the degree or certificate or diploma these colleges may offer would not be recognised for the purpose of higher education or jobs. He said that they may get the training which may be useful, but the degree or certificate from these institutions will not be useful.