Clarification by UGC on winding up Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy

The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday clarified that various news papers on March 17 and 18 have carried the news indicating that the commission is in the process of winding up the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy which is blatantly false.

"The whole news is based on a forged letter. It would have been proper if the press would have confirmed with University Grants Commission before publishing the news item. The University Grants Commission has established Centres for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy in various universities in the X Plan on plan-to-plan basis provided these Centres give a satisfactory progress in the areas of their focus," the UGC said in a statement.

Keeping in view the same procedure, the UGC said it would be extending these Centres from April 1 onwards.

UGC vide its letter on January 20, 2011 informed Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) that the Centres will continue as earlier and the work done by the centre would be monitored by the Commission.

Meanwhile, the UGC also vide letter on dated September 22, 2015 and December 23, 2015 has again informed JNU that Centre being on plan-to-plan basis will continue on the same basis.

Further to this, it is reiterated that the quoted letter in the newspapers is a forgery and as per records of UGC has not been issued by Sushma Rathore, Under Secretary, UGC.

The records of UGC have been checked and it is confirmed that no such letter has been issued or dispatched by the office of University Grants Commission.

The perusal of the letter received by JNU shows that the letter was faxed from Mumbai number with 022 STD code.

The UGC further clarified that it does not have an office in Mumbai.

The UGC said it is contemplating taking all appropriate legal action in this regard.