Document details
| Reference number | F.No.1-410/2024(RIA)/(CPP-I/PU) |
| Date of reply | July 2024 (office stamp 16 JUL 2024; signature dated 16/07/2024) |
| Mode of despatch | By Speed-Post |
| Issued by | (R.I.S. Bhardwaj), Under Secretary & CPIO |
| Public authority | University Grants Commission, Ministry of Education, Government of India, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002 |
| Applicant | Kamesh, ACFE Member (USA) |
| RTI application | RTI letter dated 05.06.2024, received in this office on 21.06.2024 |
| Subject | Information under Right to Information Act, 2005 |
| Institution concerned | Singhania University, Pacheri Bari, Dt. Jhunjunu – 333 515, Rajasthan |
| Pagination note | The reply is paginated “Page 1 of 5” and “Page 2 of 5”. Only those two pages are present in the source document held; pages 3 to 5 are not, and nothing from them is relied on here. |
| First Appellate Authority | Dr. Amol M. Andhare, Deputy Secretary, University Grants Commission, Bahadurshah Zafar Marg, New Delhi – 110 002 |
Questions and official answers
The reply is tabulated by question number. The answers are reproduced below as printed.
| No. | Point | Official reply |
|---|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Questions concerning school education | School Education does not fall under purview of the UGC. |
| 3 | Establishment, degrees, centres and franchising | Singhania University, Pacheri Bari, Dt. Jhunjunu – 333 515, Rajasthan has been established/ notifies on 29.03.2008 by an Act of State Legislature of Rajasthan as a State Private University. The University is empowered to award only such degrees as specified by the UGC vide Notification on “Specification of Degrees 2014” and its amendments issued from time to time under section 22 of the UGC Act 1956 through its main campus in regular mode with the approval of Statutory Bodies and Statutory Council(s), wherever it is required and after creating required academic and physical infrastructure facilities including library, laboratories and appointment of teaching and supporting staffs as per the norms and standards laid down by UGC and other relevant Statutory Council(s). Singhania University, Rajasthan is not authorized to open study centre/ off campus centre beyond the territorial jurisdiction of the state as per the judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in case of Prof. Yashpal vs. State of Chhattisgarh. The 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) Regulations, 2003 without the approval of UGC. The UGC has not granted any approval to the University to open off campus/study centre. The University cannot offer its programmes through franchising arrangement with Private coaching institutions even for the purpose of conducting of courses through distance mode. |
| 4 | Distance education | Since the information is related to the Distance Education, a copy of your application is being forwarded to the Distance Education Bureau of UGC. |
| 5 & 6 | Further material on the subject matter | No material information is available in this subject matter. |
Key findings
School education is outside the UGC's remit
Questions 1 and 2 are answered in a single line: School Education does not fall under purview of the UGC. Those questions must go to a school board or the state school education authority.
No UGC approval for any off-campus or study centre
The reply states that the UGC has not granted any approval to the University to open an off campus or study centre.
Only UGC specified degrees, from the main campus
The university may award only such degrees as specified by the UGC under the Specification of Degrees 2014 notification, through its main campus in regular mode.
Franchising with coaching institutions is excluded
The university cannot offer programmes through a franchising arrangement with private coaching institutions, even for distance mode.
Established 29.03.2008 by Rajasthan state Act
The UGC records establishment or notification on 29.03.2008 by an Act of the State Legislature of Rajasthan as a State Private University.
Part of the reply is not in the document held
The letter is paginated as five pages; pages 3 to 5 are absent from the source document, and nothing from them is relied on here.
Timeline from the record
Established by state Act
Singhania University established/notified by an Act of the Rajasthan State Legislature as a State Private University.
RTI letter filed
The reply cites an RTI letter dated 05.06.2024.
Received at UGC
The letter was received in the UGC office on 21.06.2024.
Reply F.No.1-410/2024(RIA)/(CPP-I/PU)
The UGC answers that school education is outside its purview and that no study-centre approval has been granted.
What this record shows:
- The UGC states that school education does not fall under its purview.
- The UGC states Singhania University was established/notified on 29.03.2008 by an Act of the Rajasthan State Legislature as a State Private University.
- The UGC states it has granted no approval for any off campus or study centre.
- The UGC states the university cannot offer programmes through franchising with private coaching institutions.
What it does not show:
- It does not answer anything about school education, which is outside the Commission's remit.
- It does not name or confirm the existence of any particular centre.
- It does not state that any particular degree or certificate is genuine or forged.
- It does not include pages 3 to 5 of the reply, which are absent from the document held and are not relied on.
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.