The Fact of ICFAI Distance Learning Programme

Hi Friends,

The war against degree seller continues. I wrote to DEC, UGC and ministry of HRD, government of India about manipulation of ICFAI University alongwith many other private universities. I got communication from UGC saying they have forwarded my complaint/ representation to concerned universities and today ICFAI University replied me on that. I think I must write it here so the readers will get enough clarity.
______________________________________________________________________________
Mail from ICFAI

 Subhash Joshi (joshigtkicfai@gmail.com) added themselves to your Guest List | Remove them | Block them 

Dear Shri Govind Sharma,

Attached, please find our response to your above complaint. I shall be grateful for information from you and an acknowledgement.

Best regards,

Subhash Joshi



HAVE  A  NICE  DAY

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Copy of the attachment they have sent:

The ICFAI University, Sikkim

(Established under Section 4(2) of the ICFAI University, Sikkim Act, 2004)

Lower Sichey, Ranka Road, Gangtok, East Sikkim – 737101

DL-Rep/IUS/2013-001                                                  22 May 2013

Shri Gopal Sharma

A8/229, Dev Ashish Apartment

THANE 421305

YOUR COMPLAINT TO THE CHAIRMAN UGC DATED 06 APRIL 2013 BY E-MAIL

Sir,

1.     The ICFAI University Sikkim (IUS) is in receipt of your complaint mentioned above sent to various addresses.

2.     The IUS conducts distance learning programmes from this location awarding degrees in subjects which are taught in the University.

3      It may, kindly, be noted that degrees are awarded only within the framework of the regulations applicable. We shall be grateful if you can provide specific information regarding alleged fake degrees awarded by this University for our investigation and other follow up action failing which we shall feel free to conclude that your allegations with respect to the IUS are incorrect and defamatory in nature. The undersigned will be grateful if this information is provided at the earliest.

4.     An early response will be appreciated.

Yours faithfully,

(Sd/- SC Joshi)

                                                                                  Registrar

_________________________________________________________________ 

They are so stupid that they write my name "Gopal" and they claim they are running best management programme in India (and they cannot spell my name correctly)

______________________________________________________________

My reply and the fact:

Dear Mr. Subhash,

It is glad to see that you take time to respond.

First clarification: The fake degree allegation is against EIILM, MGU Shillong and CMJ University specifically not against you i.e. ICFAI.

ICFAI is involved in money making scheme through offering degrees by violating DEC norms and violating it. I think I should have been very specific when I wrote about it. 

You can find the truth about you- ICFAI in following link:

http://simplygovind.blogspot.in/2013/05/universities-offering-distance-learning_15.html

The another fact is that, through the judgment of PRf. Yashpal V/s State of Chhatisgarh and others, writ petition civil no. 19 of 2004, your University was also faced de-recognition after honourable supreme court order. After that you find a way to establish private university Dehradun, Tripura, Sikkim, Hyderabad, Jharkhand, Mizoram etc. The purpose of establishing same university is these different states are nothing more than a long term planning to earn money by offering distance learning programme and if honourable supreme court again de-recognize one particular state university, operate through other state. Another strategy is to skip / comply from the DEC norms that the private university can offer courses in the state where they are present (in any case if bribing to DEC and UGC will fail)

You will start a university for namesake in that particular state and mainly will focus on selling distance learning degrees (low cost, higher returns).

Well, let us discuss about the main points:

1. As of now, DEC has recognized following ICFAI distance learning on following conditions 

a. ICFAI University, Hyderabad, 

Programme recognized: Master of Management Studies, MBA (Financial Management), MBA (Hospital Administration) only. Year of recognition: Till 2012-13

So this means the validity period has already over.

Violation: You are offering more degrees than the recognized. You are offering following courses as mentioned in your Hyderabad ICFAI website

Courses offered:
BBA
MBA- General
MBA (Marketing, HRM, Business, Hospital Management, Telecom Management)
Executive MBA (Based on case study method, much better than MBA above)
PGDFA

Diploma in Investment Management
Diploma in Derivatives & Risk Management
Diploma in Global Financial MarketsDiploma in Talent Management
Diploma in Innovation Management
Diploma in Retail Management
Diploma in International Business

I am attaching evidence (please refer icfai.docx)

Violation 2: 

Who can pursue MBA through distance mode? DEC guideline

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The minimum entry qualification to the Post-Graduate Programme in Management (MBA) is that a candidate should be a graduate in any discipline recognised by the Association of Indian Universities and should be employed at managerial/supervisory positions. A post qualification experience of 2 years at the managerial/supervisory level may be considered desirable.

ADMISSION/SELECTION PROCEDURE
The students of Post Graduate Programme (MBA) be admitted through entrance test. The written test should assess:
" Reasoning ability
" Comprehension and vocabularies
" General knowledge and
" Quantitative abilities
to check preparedness of a student to undertake management studies. In addition to the above, it could also examine the students capability to learn through Distance Mode. The short listing of candidates may be done according to merit prepared on the basis of total profile which may include :
" performance in written test
" work experience
" previous academic records
" performance in group discussion and interview.
Written test should have at least 75% weightage in overall admission procedure. Where admission is not done on the basis of an All India entrance test, it would be desirable that candidate possesses minimum 50% marks in qualifying examination (Bachelor Degree).
DURATION
Considering the learning experience to be provided to the students, the duration of MBA level Programme in Management should be minimum 3 years.
STUDENTS INTAKE
The intake of students to MBA Programme in a single year should be decided according to the infrastructure available with the Institutes, number of study centres, human resource available, audio/video support and library facilities etc. However, for the new institutions the number of the students intake should be kept to the minimum of 500 in the initial stage.

Violation #1

From year 1 onwards only, you admitted more than 500 students

Violation #2

All students admitted without an entrance examination

Violation #3

You admitted fresher without any experience. It just supplied with useless paper degree from a useless university. 

Violation #4

Duration of MBA (distance mode) kept 2 years instead of 3 years

Violation #5

Being a private university, you are not allowed to offer programme other than the state where you exist. Since your only following state universities are approved:Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Tripura, how you can offer programmes in many cities and state where you do not have approval?

Please refer:

http://www.dec.ac.in/Documents/currentstatus.pdf

You qualify the student on the basis of 1 question having 4 multiple choice of answer, just select "right answer" and you are pass.

Do you apply same methodology for a full time MBA students from ICFAI Business school too? 

As UGC has asked other universities to accept degree awarded in distance learning mode by other university subject to the condition that the degree should have been awarded in same manner of the other university.

Sir, I can bet that none of the central or state universities violate this as their manner of taking exam and awarding degree is same as of the regular full time degree course. You did it because you want to be a diploma/ degree mill and earn huge cash. How UGC and DEC are ignoring this, is matter of concern.

You do not admit any students to ICFAI Business School Hyderabad without an entrance exam then how can you offer MBA programmes in distance mode without an entrance exam (refer your website:

"MBA

Admissions is based on IBSAT 2012 and Interview. GMAT scores (from 2009 onwards) and CAT 2012 scores are also accepted in place of IBSAT 2012. Candidates with GMAT score of 550 and above and CAT percentile of 75 and above are exempted from IBSAT 2012.

IBSAT 2012 is an aptitude test based on Computer Based Test (CBT) format. The test is conducted from December 15, 2012 - January 06, 2013. The test is of 2 hours duration and is conducted in 4-5 sessions per day at test centers all over India. For further details please refer the Application Guidelines."

So what exactly you are doing with the distance learning programmes other than desperation of selling degrees?

Please provide following information:

Do you verify degree of every applicant from the university and board of the applicant whether they have cleared the degree or not?

Do you take original mark sheet, transfer certificate and migration certificate from the candidate?

Please clarify whether mode of exam and evaluation for every programme of ICFAI University full time and distance learning is same i.e. multiple choice answer, no class room, no compulsory case studies and no practicum as, when and where required.

This put big question on Distance Education Council (DEC) too

Without inspecting premises, course materials and other details how DEC can give approval to 4 different campus of ICFAI University.

It is also worth to be noted that when DEC grants approval, it clearly states that one need to take approval from respective body separately i.e. AICTE in case of technical and management programme. 

Misleading information

In your prospectus you do not talk about DEC reocgnition, you say that companies do not discriminate between a full time MBA and a distance learning MBA. This is not the fact. A distance learning MBA holder does not get the job easily. It is good only for those who are working somewhere. The alumnus you have mentioned in your prospectus are not alumnus due to ICFAI MBa, they were already employed there and you have used the company's name without the company's approval. It is infringement of their intellectual property (brand, logo etc.). 

It is known fact that for years you mislead Indian students by offering programme like CPA, CFA, C-RIM which you have to stop due to lost legal battle. Morevoer at that time too you offered MBA and MCA programmes (almost 10-12 years back) when you did not have even the deemed university status. 

This business game must need to stop and you must come clean hand. It is worst to see that DEC is not taking any action and you are happy with the selling degrees, making people easy to get admitted and get easy to pass.

Regards

Govind

NB: There must be many other points which I am missing due to lack of time.

I think this is enough to open your eyes.