Student group wants shutdown of ‘unrecognised’ Mumbai management college

Student activists have demanded the shutting down of an “unrecognised” management institute in Andheri, which recently received a show-cause notice from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The institute, however, has defended itself, saying it never claimed to be a university.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS), the student wing of MNS, has claimed the National Institute of Event Management (NIEM) in Andheri has been granting “bogus degrees” and charging lakhs of rupees as tuition fee. The student body also requested the city police to lodge a criminal complaint against NIEM for cheating students.

“Your institute doesn’t have recognition from UGC even though it’s necessary. Your institute is running an MBA programme without permission,” read the complaint letter by Santosh Dhotre, Maharashtra state vice president, MNVS.

According to a 2013 Act, it is illegal to establish an educational institute or introduce a course in Maharashtra without the state’s approval.

After the UGC warned NIEM and two other institutes last month, NIEM said it never claimed to be a university and has stopped offering courses as it has sought recognition from the state.

“We have appealed to the ministry of human resources development as well as UGC to correct the mistake. But we are yet to hear for them,” said Hoshi Bhiwandiwala, founding dean and director, NIEM.

Founded in 2000, NIEM has been offering diploma, post-graduation diploma and bachelor of business administration (BBA) courses in event management. In 2017, NIEM collaborated with Rajasthan’s Singhania University. “While the UGC doesn’t allow state universities to affiliate with colleges outside their state, the Rajasthan high court in an interim order allowed NIEM to continue its courses,” said Bhiwandiwala.

“We will conduct an investigation and hear from officials before registering a complaint,” said Pandarinath Vaval, senior police inspector, Juhu police station.