UGC seeks help to stop illegal practices by private universities

The University Grants Commission has sought help from the law and the home ministries as well as the judiciary to stop unethical practices by private universities, according to a news agency.
In a media statement issued Friday, the UGC described “certificate businesses” practised by some private universities and sought action from the home and the law ministries to stop them.
The statement said there were 116 branches of 79 private universities operating with UGC approval and gave a list of the addresses of these branches.
Commission Member Atful Hai Shibli said the statement had been issued to alert students about ‘illegal’ branches. A further statement would be issued naming all illegal private universities, he said.
“We will also list the universities who are running with the help of court orders and those with ownership disputes,” he added.
“A lot of students will get admitted to these illegal branches to buy certificates with less time and money. We will not take any responsibility for the students who will do this despite warnings,” the member said.
Of the 79 private universities in the country, 11 are allegedly involved in “certificate businesses” and have ownership disputes and illegal outer campuses.
In its media release, UGC said under the Private Universities Act, the vice chancellor is the academic and administrative chief of an university.
But in some cases they cannot carry out their duties because of “misuse of power, business-like attitude and conflict” by some board of trusties chairmen and members.
UGC admitted that such conflicts cause “various mismanagements” in the operating of these universities.
It said High Court stay orders on UGC’s bans on these illegal campuses and case delays were allowing these universities to carry on so-called academic programmes.
The release called on initiatives from home ministry, law ministry, the judiciary, university authorities and students to stop these unethical activities.
UGC also said further empowering the commission and making it a higher education commission would eradicate most of the problems.
An education ministry official seeking anonymity said IBAIS, Darul Ihsan, Prime, Northern, Southern, Asian, Atish Dipankar, Peoples, BGC Trust, Queens and America Bangladesh University have ownership disputes and divisions in the board of trustees.