M M Jasim :
At least 14 private universities have lost their authority to admit students from 208-19 academic session for their irregularities.
The University Grants Commission has also alerted the students to the risks of admission to 14 private universities flagged red.
They are also providing poor knowledge to the students. The universities are also involved in many irregularities including certificate business in the name of higher education, the UGC sources said.
The UGC issued the alert through a notice on Tuesday detailing the current status of these universities.
It advised the students to get admitted to only UGC-approved institutions and programmes; otherwise, they might face problem regarding the recognition of their degrees.
The commission also said, “It would not bear any responsibility if someone gets admitted to the unregistered institutions or courses.”
The 14 universities flagged red in the notice include IBAIS University, America Bangladesh University, Southern University of Bangladesh and Premier University in Chattogram, Gono University, Darul Ihsan University, Queens University, Sylhet International University, and the University of Comilla and Britannia University in Cumilla.
The four others, the University of Science and Technology, the People’s University of Bangladesh, the University of South Asia, and the Atish Dipankar Science and Technology University, have unapproved campuses, according to the notice.
The government has already closed some of these universities, some others have their ownership disputed in court, some do not have approved campus while another simply does not have permission to run educational operations.
Meanwhile, the UGC said in the notice that it has not permitted any foreign university to set up branch, campus or study centre in Bangladesh, warning the students against admission to such entities.
Currently, 101 private universities have the UGC’s approval and 91 of them are in operation.
Out of these, 60 have vice-chancellors, 20 pro-vice chancellors and 44 treasurers while the rest of the private universities are operating with these top posts vacant.
The UGC issued the notice to inform the HSC candidates awaiting results about the current state of the private universities.
UGC Chairman Professor Abdul Mannan told The New Nation on Wednesday that it is the UGC’s duty to inform the students about the faulty universities.
“We have alerted the students and their guardians no to enroll in faulty and sub-standard private universities. If any one admits there it is their responsibilities. We will not be accountable for any future complex,” he said.
