Christ University will now be called Christ (deemed to be university), following the University Grants Commission (UGC) directive that pulled up 123 “deemed to be universities” for attaching the suffix “university” although they still did not have university status.

Symbiosis International University, Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalya, Yenepoya University, Jain University, Maharishi Markandeshwar University and Lingaya’s University have also been asked to submit a new name for their institute.

UGC has warned that the universities will lose their “deemed to be” status as well if they fail to comply with the directive.

Supreme Court November 3 Order

The Supreme Court via a judgment dated 03.11.2017 directed the UGC to take appropriate steps and implement Section 23 of the UGC Act, 1956. It further ordered UGC to restrain institutions deemed to be universities from using the word ‘university’.

UGC November 10 Order

In those cases, where the Government of India notification is with the word ‘University’, the deemed to be university may submit a proposal with alternative name (without using the word ‘University’) to the UGC/Ministry of HRD so that necessary amendment can be made by the Ministry of HRD, said the in a circular dated November 10.

Failure to do so will invite necessary action against the deemed to be university in accordance with the UGC (institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2016,” the circular adds.

UGC November 29 Order

Yesterday, UGC issued two separate circulars:

Circular 1: for seven institutions

Inspite of the directions from Hon’ble Supreme Court and UGC, the deemed to be university is still using the word ‘University’ with its name and has not submitted the alternative proposal. This non-compliance of the orders of Hon’ble apex court and directions of the UGC has been viewed ‘very seriously’ by the UGC, says the circular.

It has been decided to give a last chance to the institution deemed to be university to immediately discontinue with the name of the deemed to be university using the word ‘University’ and submit an alternative proposal as requested vide above UGC letter. Failure to comply with these directions would amount to violation of the UGC (institutions deemed to be universities) Regulations, 2016 and necessary action would be initiated against the institution deemed to be university in accordance with Clause 22.0 of these regulations which may include recommending withdrawal of the declaration notifying the institution as an institution deemed to be university to the central government, it adds.

The seven institutions this circular was addressed to are:

Lingaya’s University, Nachauli, Old Faridabad – Faridabad Haryana Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Ambala, Haryana Christ University, Bangalore, Karnataka Jain University, Bangalore, Karnataka Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, Uttrakhand

Circular 2: for 22 institutions

With the same instructions, the circular mentioned names of the following institutions:

Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh National University of Educational Planning & Administration, Delhi TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi Academy of Higher Education and Research, J.N.Medical College Campus, Belgaum Karnataka Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka Kalinga Insitute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneshwar, Orissa Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, Punjab Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali, Rajasthan Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore Tamil Nadu B.S. Abdur Rahman Institute of Science & Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Ponnaiyah Ramajayam Institute of Science & Technology (PRIST), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA), Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu S.R.M Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation, Sankari Mani Road, Salem, Tamil Nadu Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh Shobit Institute of Engineering & Technology, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Howrah, West Bengal