The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently issued a new advisory notice warning students that there are fake universities operating in India. In the latest published UGC fake university list, which was released in February 2026, the UGC has found that there are currently 32 fake universities operating in India and misrepresenting themselves to prospective students. Due to their lack of recognition from the University Grants Commission, degrees obtained from these institutions do not have any validity. According to the UGC’s report, 12 of the fake universities are located in the Delhi region, while four are located in Uttar Pradesh.
About the University Grants Commission (UGC) Warning
The UGC is responsible for overseeing and regulating the standard of education provided by recognized universities in India. In order to guarantee students’ protection, it has produced an updated UGC fake university list that cannot confer legitimate credentials. Any credential conferred by an unrecognized university will not be recognized within India and therefore invalid for use in career advancement or educational enrichment.
The UGC explains that unrecognized (fake) universities are known for providing false and misleading information to prospective students via their “creative” names, counterfeited claims of recognition by the UGC, and appealing ad campaigns. The high number of students who have fallen victim to the fraudulent practices of unaccredited (fake) universities is largely due to their ignorance or lack of information concerning this matter. As such, the UGC strongly recommends that all prospective students verify the legitimacy of any university they wish to attend against the UGC fake university list before applying for admission. This measure will ensure that the student has safe-guarded their investment in education and will have a degree that can be used for employment or continuing education.
State-Wise List of UGC Fake University (February 2026)
In its February 2026 notification, the UGC released a state-wise list of fake universities and their respective locations throughout India. As the UGC announces its list of 32 fake universities in 2026, the UGC has now reported that the following universities are present in the state of Delhi (12 fake universities), Uttar Pradesh (4 fake universities), and several other states including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, and several others. Each of these has been referred to as an “open” or “deemed” or “international” type of university but none of these universities has been properly accredited or recognised. The following is the state total and breakdown of 32 fake universities as identified by the UGC:
| State/UT | Number of Fake Universities | Names of Fake Universities |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2 |
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| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 |
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| Delhi | 12 |
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| Haryana | 1 |
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| Jharkhand | 1 |
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| Karnataka | 2 |
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| Kerala | 2 |
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| Maharashtra | 2 |
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| Puducherry | 2 |
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| Rajasthan | 1 |
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| Uttar Pradesh | 4 |
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| West Bengal | 2 |
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Comparison: UGC-Approved Categories vs. UGC Fake University
The categories of universities approved by the UGC in India are Central, State, Deemed, and Private universities, all of which have legal recognition to award degrees. These universities are established after due legislation and have to adhere to very tight norms of quality and recognition. On the other hand, the 32 fake universities recently identified by the UGC have misused the same names and titles to create an impression of authenticity but have not been recognized by any legal authority. While the genuine ones award degrees that are recognized for recruitment and further education, the fake ones award degrees that are worthless.
| UGC-Approved Category | Definition | Examples (Legitimate) | Fake Universities Mimicking This Category |
| Central Universities | Established by an Act of Parliament, funded by the Central Government, recognized by UGC. | University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University | None of the 32 fake universities falls under this category. |
| State Universities | Established by a State Legislature, funded by the respective state government, recognized by UGC. | University of Mumbai, University of Madras | Daksha University (Ranchi),
Rajeev Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management (Bhiwadi), Gandhi Hindi Vidyapith (Prayagraj) – they mimic state-level names but are fake. |
| Deemed Universities | Institutions recognized for excellence, granted “deemed-to-be-university” status by UGC. | BITS Pilani, Manipal Academy of Higher Education | Christ New Testament Deemed University (Guntur) – They falsely claims “Deemed” status. |
| Private Universities | Established through state legislation, run by private organizations, but require UGC approval. | Amity University, Ashoka University | Magic & Art University (Faridabad), Global Human Peace University (Bengaluru), St John’s University (Kerala), Raja Arabic University (Nagpur) – they mimic private universities but lack approval. |
| Open/Distance Universities | Recognized by UGC and Distance Education Bureau (DEB) to offer distance learning. | Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) | Bible Open University of India (Visakhapatnam), Viswakarma Open University for Self-Employment (Delhi) – the misuse “Open University” title. |
| Specialized Institutions (Medical, Law, Technical) | Recognised by statutory councils (AICTE, NMC, BCI, etc.) and UGC. | AIIMS, IITs, NLSIU | Indian Institute of Alternative Medicine (Arunachal Pradesh & Kolkata), Institute of Alternative Medicine and Research (Kolkata), All India Institute of Public & Physical Health Sciences (Delhi), IIUPM (Kozhikode), ADR-Centric Juridical University (Delhi) – they claim specialisation but lack recognition. |
| International/Global Universities | No such category exists under UGC; foreign collaborations require approval. | None (foreign universities must be approved separately) | World Peace of United Nations University (Delhi), United Nations University (Delhi), Commercial University Ltd. (Delhi) – they have misleading names suggesting global affiliation. |
| Other Misleading Names | Institutions using generic or attractive names to appear legitimate. | – | Institute of Management and Engineering (Delhi), Indian Institute of Science and Engineering (Delhi), National Institute of Management Solution (Delhi), Mountain Institute of Management & Technology (Delhi), Bhartiya Shiksha Parishad (Lucknow), Mahamaya Technical University (Noida), Usha Latchumanan College of Education (Puducherry), Sree Bodhi Academy of Higher Education (Puducherry), Adhyatmik Vishwavidyalaya (Delhi). |
Advisory for Students and Parents
As part of national policy, UGC has provided guidance to assist students in identifying potential scams when selecting an educational institution. Following are ways to identify the schools that you should avoid.
- Check for verification: Official UGC website lists all recognized institutions, which is updated regularly.
- Verify the accreditation of the institution with agencies such as AICTE (All India Council of Technical Education), NMC (National Medical Commission) or BCI (Bar Council of India), depending on the course you wish to take.
- Be suspicious of any institution with a name similar to that of an institution that has successfully completed their recognition/accreditation process.
- Do not believe in shortcuts Many of the fake institutions will promote easy completion of your program of studies with the assurance of low cost tuition.
- Seek professional recommendations before making your choice of institution.
Conclusion
The fact that there are 32 UGC fake university in India according to the UGC is alarming news for all students and their families. With 12 fake colleges located in Delhi alone, it demonstrates the size of the problem. The existence of these fake universities indicates that there needs to be stricter rules and regulations created to help stop the problem. Students should take the necessary steps to make sure that they are attending a college or university which has been recognized by the UGC in order to receive an accredited education as well as guarantee a secure future.
FAQs
Q1. How many universities has the UGC marked as fraudulent in India?
Ans: Confirming that a university is fraudulent was accomplished by releasing a UGC fake university list on its official portal.
Q2. Which city has the largest number of falsely accredited universities?
Ans: Among all the 32 countries there are 12 falsely accredited universities which are located in Delhi.
Q3. Why is the degree obtained through a false university not valid?
Ans: Degrees from falsely accredited institutions won’t be valid since the UGC does not recognise them.
Q4. How do students determine if an educational institution is legitimate?
Ans: Verify the legitimacy of a potential institution with both the UGC’s Official site and other accrediting bodies.
Q5. What should an individual do if currently enrolled in a fraudulent institution?
Ans: To avoid wasting both time and resources on obtaining a diploma from a fraudulent university, one should withdraw immediately and seek admission in a UGC-accredited institution.
