Madras HC bans functioning of ICFAI institutions

Madras High Court today banned the functioning of ICFAI University, Hyderabad, and the ICFAI National College in Tamil Nadu.

Allowing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Dr G R Medical University Senate member K Rajendran, a Division Bench comprising Justices S J Mukhopadhaya and B Rajendran held that ICFAI was functioning in Tamil Nadu without any valid license or permission.

The bench directed the University Grants Commission (UGC) to take appropriate action against ICFAI for its malfunctioning.

Earlier in February 2006, the High Court in its order had restrained the ICFAI University, Hyderabad, and the ICFAI National College here from making fresh admissions and collecting fees from students. An interim order was passed by the First Bench of the High Court.

In his PIL, Mr Rajendran sought action against the private university and the college for running study centres in Tamil Nadu without ‘any valid approval and recognition.’ The petitioner contended that private universities were abolished by the Supreme Court in 2005.

The ICFAI University, the 73rd respondent in the case heard by the Supreme Court, was ‘fully aware of the fact that it had ceased to exist’ pursuant to the order. But, it has ‘chosen to issue advertisements calling for enrolment to various courses such as MBA and MCA in both distance education and regular stream,’ the petitioner said.