The Rajeev Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management in Rajasthan's Alwar district has been labelled as a "fake institution" by the University Grants Commission (UGC), cautioning parents and students against enrolling since degrees from it are invalid.
According to a public notice released on March 28, 2026, the regulator claimed that the institute, located at Mansa Chowk in Bhiwadi, had been awarding degrees in violation of the UGC Act, 1956. It is now on the Commission's list of fake universities.
The UGC reiterated the warning on X, declaring Rajeev Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management, Alwar (Rajasthan) to be a fraudulent school. The school is not accredited and is not allowed to award any undergraduate or graduate degrees. Any degree it grants is invalid for employment with the government or further education.
Degrees not recognised
The UGC claims that neither Section 2(f) nor Section 3 of the UGC Act recognise the institute. Accordingly, under Section 22 of the Act, it is not able to grant undergraduate or graduate degrees.
The notification made it clear that "all degrees, diplomas, or certificates issued by this institute are not valid for higher education, government jobs, or even private employment." It also stated that students who enrol in such institutions run the danger of facing severe career repercussions.
Part of wider crackdown
The action is part of the UGC's larger campaign against unacknowledged institutions nationwide. The Commission identified 32 phoney universities operating in 12 states earlier this week, with Delhi having the largest number.
Officials said the Alwar-based institute was placed under a high-priority alert on March 25 as part of this exercise. In order to take legal action against the institution's administrators for deceiving students, the UGC has also worked with Rajasthan's higher education authorities.
Advisory for students
The regulator has recommended students to exercise caution and to verify the credentials of institutions prior to enrolling during the current admissions season.
Candidates were advised to look at the official UGC website's list of authorised universities and compare their names to the list of "fake universities." Degrees can only be awarded by institutions that were created by a state legislature or an Act of Parliament, or by those that have been granted considered status.
Parents, students, and the general public are advised not to enrol in these self-described institutions. According to the UGC, "admission to such institutions may jeopardise careers."
