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The University Grants Commission has directed 123 deemed to be universities across the country to remove ‘University’ Out of the 123, four are based in Coimbatore.

The four institutions include Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Ettimadai, Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women in Bharathi park road, Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences in Karunya Nagar, and Karpagam Academy of Higher Education in Pollachi Main Road.

The UGC directive follows a Supreme Court order, which on November 3, had observed that many institutions which were given Deemed to be University status were using the word ‘University’ in their name, which according to the court was against Section 23 of the UGC Act.

“It has come to our notice that many institutions which are conferred the status of Deemed to be Universities are using the word University, which, in our view is opposed to the spirit of Section 23 of the UGC Act. The UGC shall take appropriate steps to stop such practice,” the court said.

Section 23 of the Act says “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 UGC in its letter to Vice-chancellors / Directors of these institutions said: “The Institution is hereby directed to restrain from using the word ‘University’ with its name failing which necessary action would be initiated against the Deemed to be University in accordance with the UGC (institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2016. Instead, the Institution may mention the word “Deemed to be University” within parenthesis.”