The University Grants Commission (UGC) has ordered Pearl Academy, a fashion and management institute to stop awarding degrees. The Delhi based institute has its centres in Noida, Jaipur and Mumbai.
The institute awards joint degrees with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) of Britain, which is against the Indian law stating that no private institute can tie-up with foreign universities to offer degrees. Only university is permitted to grant degrees in India and a foreign university can collaborate with an Indian university only with prior approval from the UGC.
The UGC’s notice to pearl academy reads that “Pearl Academy is not authorized to grant any degree either in a standalone mode or in collaboration with any foreign university”. Thus the academy has been asked to stop awarding degrees since it is not a ‘university’ within the definition of the UGC Act 1956.
The NTU-Pearl agreement dates back to 1995 and nearly 4100 students have been associated with the institute at its four branches. In a similar case, Mewar University collaborated with Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) was declared illegal last year.
