Lucknow, Jan 6 (NationPress) The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has made two pivotal decisions impacting the higher education landscape in the state.

The cabinet has mandated the liquidation of JS University located in Shikohabad, district of Firozabad, while also granting approval for IIMT University in Meerut to set up an off-campus facility in Greater Noida.

According to Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay, the liquidation of JS University comes after an extensive investigation revealed alarming irregularities. The institution was implicated in issuing fake mark sheets and degrees for the B.P.Ed. (Bachelor of Physical Education) program, which were misused by candidates in the Rajasthan Physical Education Teacher Recruitment Examination-2022. This led to the arrest of the university's Chancellor and Registrar by the Rajasthan Police.

Inquiry committees at the government level confirmed several violations, including the misuse of authority to confer degrees, distribution of counterfeit certificates constituting organized crime, failure to adhere to land norms, and neglecting mandatory reporting to the Uttar Pradesh State Higher Education Council.

Given these serious findings, the government has opted to dissolve JS University. Post-liquidation, all institutional records will be transferred to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University in Agra for safekeeping.

Mark sheets and degrees previously issued by JS University will undergo verification and authentication based on these records.

An interim committee comprising three members has been established to oversee the university's affairs during the liquidation process, as per Section 55(6) of the applicable Act.

In another development, the cabinet has also approved issuing a Letter of Permission to IIMT University, Meerut, to operate an off-campus centre in Greater Noida.

The sponsoring body, Association of Management Studies in Meerut, has secured 4.796 acres of land in the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority, for which a Letter of Intent was issued on February 25, 2025.

The establishment of this off-campus centre is anticipated to generate new opportunities for quality higher education in Western Uttar Pradesh and the National Capital Region, enabling students to pursue academic programs closer to their homes.

This decision aligns with the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019, and its Second Amendment Act, 2021, which allow private universities to create off-campus centers. Together, these decisions highlight the government's dual strategy of taking stringent action against malpractices in higher education while also expanding access to quality educational institutions in underserved areas.