Now UGC will keep an eye on higher education websites

To ensure that their promises match reality, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is framing guidelines to streamline website information ...

To ensure that their promises match reality, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is framing guidelines to streamline website information furnished by institutions providing higher and professional education. The rules will apply to both government-funded and private, unaided institutions.

The plan, the Model Publication Scheme (MPS), is being teamed up with a parallel effort to define ‘‘deception’’ as it applies to the education service business, in tune with a practice established by the US Federal Trade Commission.

‘‘To internationalise education services and for transparency, we are laying down a model publication scheme for websites of higher-education institutions. The whole idea is to create an environment where correct, credible information on facilities, faculty, training and affiliation is provided to students and applicants,’’ said sources.

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They added that the higher education industry often exploits loopholes in the Consumer Protection Act, Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) Act, and Competition Act to get away with ‘‘information murder’’.

Consumer courts and the MRTPC are currently flooded with deception-related cases against higher education set-ups, leading to the UGC’s twin moves. Under the scheme, all higher-education institutions will compile a separate information chart for their websites, which will be certified by UGC and hosted on its own website too.

‘‘After we certify that disclosure norms have been met, we will host the link,’’ sources said.

Often, websites become inexpensive tools to massage fancy details into fly-by-night institutions, and misinform people about faculty, students, infrastructure and affiliations.

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On Wednesday and Thursday, UGC officials met officials from the Consumer Affairs Ministry, Company Affairs Ministry, AICTE, Medical Council, CBSE, ICWAI, ICSI, Vice-Chancellors and higher education experts.

Once drafted, both sets of rules will add on to the draft education law and the consensus norms posted online for response. It can then be forwarded to the HRD Ministry for notification.