Document details
| RTI reference number | F.No. 1-1046/2026(RIA)/175607 |
| Date of reply | February, 2026 — received stamp 17 FEB 2026 |
| Reply to | RTI appeal dated 24.01.2026 |
| Public authority | University Grants Commission, Distance Education Bureau (DEB), 35 Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi – 110001 |
| Applicant | Kamesh |
| Subject | Information sought under RTI Act 2005 — recognition status of the Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (IASE), Sardarshahr, Rajasthan, for distance-mode MBA (Finance) programmes (2007–2009), study centres, and Rajiv Gandhi College of Management, Udupi (Karnataka) |
| Signed by | Sanjay Kumar, Under Secretary |
| Appellate Authority | Dr. Salil S., Deputy Secretary, Distance Education Bureau, UGC |
| Enclosures | DEC letters dated 29.08.2007 and 03.09.2007; UGC D.O. No. F.1-52/99 (CPP-II); UGC-AICTE-DEC Joint Committee circular dated 13.05.2003; UGC Notice F.6-9/2004 (CPP-I) dated 9 August 2005; UGC letters F.9-8/2008 (CPP-I) of April and June 2009; Public Notice F.27-1/2012 (CPP-II) dated 27.06.2013; UGC letter F.No.28-2/2016 (DEB-III) dated 28.04.2016; Public Notice F.No.12-9/2016 (DEB-III) dated 19.07.2016 |
Questions and official answers
The reply answers several questions together. The questions are reproduced as they appear in the reply; the answers are quoted or closely summarised from the document.
| No. | Question / matter | Official reply / content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whether IASE, Rajasthan was approved / recognized by DEC/UGC/DEB to offer MBA (Finance) programmes in distance education mode during 2007–2009, with year-wise validity, approved programmes and conditions imposed. | Degrees, diplomas and certificates are verified/validated by the issuing university or institution only. DEB, UGC gave the recognition status of IASE, Sardarshahar as: (1) Till 2005 — Post facto recognition (Annexure-I); (2) 2007-08 — Provisional recognition (Annexure-II); (3) “No recognition was granted has been granted to it either by DEC or UGC to offer any programme through distance mode.”The information is also displayed on www.deb.ugc.ac.in. |
| 2 | Whether IASE was permitted to operate study centres / learner support centres / admission facilitation centres outside its headquarters during the said period. | Answered in the combined reply: a Deemed to be University can operate only within its own headquarters and campuses approved by MoE (erstwhile MHRD), cannot affiliate any college or institution, and cannot offer programmes through franchising arrangements with private institutions for distance-mode courses. Under UGC Public Notice dated 9 August 2005, IASE has not been permitted to affiliate any College/Institute and has not been allowed to conduct any course through a Distance Education Study Centre by DEC/UGC. |
| 3 | Whether Rajiv Gandhi College of Management, Udupi (Karnataka) was approved, recognized or notified by DEC/UGC/DEB as an authorized study centre / distance education centre of IASE during 2007–2009. | The reply does not name Rajiv Gandhi College of Management in its text. The third row of the recognition table (placed alongside this question) reads: “No recognition was granted has been granted to it either by DEC or UGC to offer any programme through distance mode.”The reply does not spell out which institution “it” refers to. It also states that UGC has not accorded recognition to the study centre of any University / Deemed to be University / Institution. |
| 4 | Whether, under UGC/DEC regulations for 2007–2009, distance education universities could admit students through private colleges not directly maintained by the university, and whether distance MBA programmes could be offered through franchise / private institutions. | “There is no provision in UGC to accord recognition to study centres of any University outside the state where it is located. UGC has not accorded recognition to study centre of any Universities/Deemed to be Universities/Institutions. Franchising of Study Centres is not allowed by the erstwhile DEC or UGC and any such centre even within territorial jurisdiction will not be valid.” |
| 5 | Whether degrees awarded through unapproved or unauthorized study centres during that period are considered invalid, irregular, or not recognized for employment, higher education or evaluation. | Answered in the combined reply: during the period of recognition the university was required to offer programmes approved by its statutory bodies and after approval of the concerned regulatory bodies; seeking that approval was the university's responsibility. No university is authorized to offer technical and professional programmes, including M.Phil and Ph.D., through distance mode. The reply does not use the words “invalid” or “irregular”. |
| 6 | Whether UGC/DEB/DEC has issued any advisory, circular, public notice or action report concerning IASE or similar institutions for unauthorized distance education centres or MBA programmes. | The reply cites and encloses: UGC D.O. No. F.1-52/99 (CPP-II) directing universities to stop franchising degree education through private agencies; the UGC-AICTE-DEC Joint Committee letter dated 13.05.2003 limiting distance education to the neighbourhood of the main campus or the State; the Supreme Court judgment of 11.02.2005 in Prof. Yashpal & Anr vs State of Chhattisgarh & Ors; UGC letters F.9-8/2008 (CPP-I) of 16.04.2009 and 15.06.2009; UGC letter F.No. 28-2/2015 (DEB-III) dated 04.05.2016; and Public Notice F.No. 12-9/2016 (DEB-III) dated 19.07.2016 on examination centres. |
| 7 | Whether UGC/DEB maintains records on validity of distance degrees issued during the DEC regime (pre-2010) and whether the referenced degree would be recognized or non-recognized. | The reply refers to the UGC Public Notice F. 6-9/2024 (CPP-I) dated 09 August 2005 [the enclosed notice itself is numbered F.6-9/2004(CPP-I)] and to notices at www.ugc.ac.in/deb covering territorial jurisdiction, study centres and franchising. It does not give a ruling on any individual degree. |
Key findings
Not permitted to affiliate colleges
UGC Notice F.6-9/2004 (CPP-I) dated 9 August 2005 states IASE (Deemed University), Sardarshahr has not been permitted to affiliate any College/Institute.
No distance education study centres allowed
The same notice states IASE has not been allowed to conduct any course through a Distance Education Study Centre by the Distance Education Council / UGC.
Only two recognition periods listed
UGC-DEB lists post facto recognition till 2005 and provisional recognition for 2007-08. The DEC letter of 03.09.2007 granted provisional recognition for one year from the date of issue.
Franchised study centres are not valid anywhere
UGC states franchising of study centres was not allowed by the erstwhile DEC or UGC, and any such centre even within territorial jurisdiction will not be valid.
Verification rests with the issuing institution
UGC-DEB states that degrees, diplomas and certificates are verified or validated only by the issuing university or institution; DEB provides recognition status.
Recognition status table (as given by UGC-DEB)
| S.No. | Period of recognition | Type of recognition | Reference document |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Till 2005 | Post facto recognition | Annexure-I (DEC letter F.No.DEC/IASE/RJ/03, dated 29.08.2007) |
| 2 | 2007-08 | Provisional recognition | Annexure-II (DEC letter F.No.DEC/Univ/State/07, dated 03.09.2007 — one year from date of issue) |
| 3 | — | “No recognition was granted has been granted to it either by DEC or UGC to offer any programme through distance mode.” | UGC-DEB reply |
Row 3 is reproduced exactly as written in the reply. The DEC letter of 29.08.2007 also records that IASE had not been offering education through distance mode since 2005, and asked it to apply afresh for recognition from June–July 2008.
Timeline from the record
UGC D.O. No. F.1-52/99 (CPP-II)
UGC directs all universities to stop franchising degree education through private agencies (letter dated 4 August 2001, cited in the reply as 09.08.2001).
UGC-AICTE-DEC circular
Distance education to be limited to the neighbourhood of the main campus or at most within the State.
Prof. Yashpal & Anr vs State of Chhattisgarh & Ors
Judgment on territorial competence of State legislatures, cited in the reply.
Non-recognition of study centres — IASE named
IASE not permitted to affiliate any college; not allowed to run distance education study centres.
Ex-post-facto recognition
Programmes approved by IASE's statutory bodies till 2005 treated as approved; fresh application required for 2008.
Provisional recognition for one year
Provisional recognition for distance-mode programmes for one year from date of issue.
F.27-1/2012 (CPP-II)
Private and deemed universities cannot affiliate colleges; no franchising, including for distance mode.
RTI appeal filed
Kamesh seeks IASE recognition status and study-centre approvals.
F.No. 1-1046/2026(RIA)/175607
UGC-DEB replies with recognition table and 20 pages of enclosures.
What this record shows:
- UGC-DEB's stated recognition status of IASE, Sardarshahr for distance-mode programmes.
- UGC's 9 August 2005 notice that IASE was not permitted to affiliate colleges or run distance education study centres.
- UGC's general position that franchised study centres are not valid.
What it does not show:
- It does not rule on the validity of any specific person's degree or mark sheet.
- It does not name Rajiv Gandhi College of Management, Udupi in its text; the table row placed alongside that question does not state which institution it refers to.
- It does not allege criminal conduct by any individual, and does not describe enforcement action against IASE.
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.