NEW DELHI: The central government has said that two fake universities are operating in Kerala. According to the revised list, the International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine at Kunnamangalam in Kozhikode is now included in the list of fake universities. Earlier, only one university from Kerala was on this list (St John’s University, Kishanattam).

There are a total of 21 fake universities in the country. The maximum number of fake universities is in Delhi. Eight fake universities in the national capital are on the list. The government has requested the chief secretaries of the states and union territories to take legal action to close such institutions. Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar had also asked the MPs in the Lok Sabha yesterday to reveal the list of fake universities and save students. The minister also said that 12 fake universities were shut between 2014 and 2024.

FIRs have been registered against such universities and warning notices have been issued. Efforts are being made to ensure that students are not cheated. Degrees awarded by fake universities are also not recognized. The UGC has published on its official website which universities are fake. Their names and details are available on the site. Degrees of those who have passed from these universities will no longer be recognized.