Document details
| Reference number | F. No.1-432/2024(DEB-I/RTI) |
| Date of reply | 17 July 2024 (office stamp 19 JUL 2024; signature dated 18/07/24) |
| Mode of despatch | By e-mail / Speed Post |
| Issued by | (Dr. N. P. Meena), Education Officer/ CPIO |
| Public authority | University Grants Commission, Distance Education Bureau, 35 Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Applicant | Kamesh, ACFE Member (USA) |
| RTI application | RTI dated 03/07/2024 |
| Subject | Information sought under Right to Information Act, 2005 – regarding |
| Institution concerned | Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh — described in the reply as a private university |
| Enclosures | Annexures 1 to 9: the underlying DEC and DEB recognition orders, continuation orders, the appeal decision of December 2021, a corrigendum of May 2022, and the DEB list of programmes recognised for 2022-23. Thirty-three pages in all. |
Questions and official answers
The reply is set out in four numbered points. The recognition table at point 2 is reproduced in full below the questions.
| No. | Point | Official reply |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who verifies a degree | The degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) are verified/validated by the issuing authority i.e. concerned university/institution only. DEB, UGC can provide the recognition status of the university which is as under:- |
| 2 | Recognition status of the university | The recognition status of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University Meerut, Uttar Pradesh which is a private university is set out in the nine-entry table reproduced below this section. |
| 3 | Territorial jurisdiction norms for a private university | (i) A Private University cannot open its centre(s) even within the State as per the provision of UGC (Establishment of and Maintenance of Standards in Private Universities) Regulation, 2003 without the approval of UGC. The UGC has not granted any approval to the university to open off campus/study centre anywhere. (ii) Private Universities cannot affiliate any college or institution for conducting courses leading to award of its diplomas, degrees or other qualifications. Also, these cannot offer their programmes through franchising arrangement with private institutions for the purpose of conducting courses through distance mode. |
| 4 | Status of an admission taken during a recognition period | Admission taken in the approved Open and Distance Learning (ODL) program during the recognition period stands recognized till the completion of course even if the University does not have recognition for further years provided the programme is offered as per the UGC norms of territorial jurisdiction and in conformity with the extant guidelines and/or UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017 and regulations of respective regulatory bodies. In the case of higher education, equivalence is decided by the University concerned and in cases of employment, promotion etc, equivalence is decided by the employing organization. |
Recognition periods as tabulated in the reply
| S. No. | Period of recognition | Type of recognition | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| i | 2009-2010 to 2011-2012 | Programme-wise recognition by erstwhile Distance Education Council (DEC), IGNOU | Annexure-1 |
| ii | 2012-13 to 2013-2014 | Continuation of programme-wise recognition by erstwhile Distance Education Council (DEC), IGNOU | Annexure-2 |
| iii | 2014-2015 | Continuation of programme-wise recognition by erstwhile Distance Education Council (DEC), IGNOU | Annexure-3 |
| iv | 2015-2016 | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-4 |
| v | 2016-2017 to 2017-2018 | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-5 |
| vi | 2018-2019 to 2019-2020 | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-6 |
| vii | 2020-2021 | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-7 |
| viii | 2021-22, academic session beginning November 2021 (revised from July 2021) to 2025-26 (up to January 2026 only) | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-8 |
| ix | 2022-23, academic session beginning September 2022 (revised from July-August 2022) to January 2023 only | Programme-wise recognition by Distance Education Bureau (DEB), UGC | Annexure-9 |
Key findings
An unbroken recognition record from 2009-10
The table runs from 2009-2010 through to 2025-26, first under the erstwhile Distance Education Council of IGNOU and from 2015-16 under the UGC's Distance Education Bureau.
Two entries carry an express cut-off
Entry viii runs to 2025-26 up to January 2026 only. Entry ix runs to January 2023 only. The limitation is printed in the table itself.
No approval for any off-campus or study centre, anywhere
The reply states that the UGC has not granted any approval to the university to open an off campus or study centre anywhere, and that a private university cannot open centres even within the state without UGC approval.
No affiliation and no franchising
Private universities cannot affiliate any college or institution for courses leading to their own degrees, and cannot offer programmes through franchising arrangements with private institutions for distance mode.
Admissions during a recognition period remain recognised
An admission taken in an approved ODL programme during a recognition period stands recognised until the course is completed, even if recognition is not held for later years — subject to territorial jurisdiction norms and the ODL Regulations.
Equivalence is decided elsewhere
For higher education, equivalence is decided by the university concerned; for employment and promotion, by the employing organisation.
Timeline from the record
First recognition period
Programme-wise recognition by the erstwhile Distance Education Council of IGNOU, 2009-10 to 2011-12.
Continuation
Continuation of programme-wise recognition for 2012-13 to 2013-14, then 2014-15.
Recognition moves to the DEB
Programme-wise recognition by the Distance Education Bureau for 2015-16, 2016-18, 2018-20 and 2020-21.
2021-22 onwards, to January 2026 only
Recognition for the session beginning November 2021 (revised from July 2021) through 2025-26, up to January 2026 only.
MBA restored on appeal
On appeal, the Commission reversed its earlier decision for Master of Business Administration; appeals on Masters of Hospital Administration and Master of Fine Arts (Painting) were disposed of.
MBA limited to one year
A corrigendum states the recognition accorded for the MBA programme is only for academic year 2021-22 and January 2022.
Reply F. No.1-432/2024(DEB-I/RTI)
The DEB supplies the complete recognition history with nine annexures.
What this record shows:
- The UGC-DEB sets out nine programme-wise ODL recognition entries for the university covering 2009-10 to 2025-26.
- Two entries carry express cut-offs printed in the table: January 2026 and January 2023 respectively.
- The UGC states it has granted no approval for any off campus or study centre for this university anywhere.
- The reply states an admission taken in an approved ODL programme during a recognition period stands recognised until completion of the course.
What it does not show:
- It does not state that any individual degree or certificate is genuine, forged or invalid.
- It does not list, on its own face, every programme recognised in every period — those lists are in the annexures.
- It records no finding of wrongdoing against the university and no penalty.
- It does not decide equivalence, which the reply assigns to the university concerned or to the employing organisation.
Every statement on this page is drawn from the official document described above. Readers should rely on the original document and the issuing authority for any decision.