Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Nov 14: As many as 123 deemed-to-be-universities across the country, including some from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, have been asked not to use the word 'university' in their names.

The University Grants Commission, the apex body for higher education in the country, in a letter dated November 10, has asked deemed-to-be-universities to drop the word 'university' from their names, in accordance with a Supreme Court order.

According to Supreme Court order dated Novemer 3, the use of the word 'university' violates Section 23 of the UGC Act, 1956, which states that 'no institution, whether a corporate body or not, other than a university established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act shall be entitled to have the word ?university? associated with its name in any manner whatsoever'. The Apex Court thus asked the 123 deemed-to-be-universities to drop the word from their names by December 3.

Some of the deemed-be-universities included in the list of 123 institutions are Yenepoya University, Nitte University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), and Bengaluru-based Christ University.

List of deemed universities in Karnataka

The Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit also stated that deemed-to-be-university cannot conduct open and distant learning courses from the next academic year (2018-19) unless permitted to do so by the authorities authorities.

"We restrain all deemed-to-be-universities to carry on any courses in distance education mode from the Academic Session 2018-2019 onwards unless and until it is permissible to conduct such courses in distance education mode," the bench said.

The bench directed UGC to take appropriate steps to implement Section 23 of the UGC Act, 1956.