UGC, EEC recommend against granting IoE tag to Jadavpur University, Jamia Hamdard
New Delhi (PTI): An expert panel and the UGC have recommended that Jadavpur University and Jamia Hamdard University, which were shortlisted by the Centre for granting Institutions of Eminence (IoE) status, should not be granted the tag, according to officials.
Also, the Tamil Nadu government has withdrawn the proposal submitted earlier to confer the status of IoE on the Anna University, they said.
The Ministry of Education is yet to take call on the recommendations by the Empowered Expert Committee (EEC) and the University Grants Commission (UGC).
"Jadavpur University, a state public varsity had initially submitted a proposal with budget outlay of Rs 3,299 crore under the scheme. Subsequently, the Ministry had sought financial commitment from the West Bengal government for their share of funds since the scheme has a provision to fund up to Rs 1,000 crore of the proposed outlay only and to ensure continuity of funds for the implementation plans in case of any shortfall," a top official privy to the development told PTI.
"However, the same was not agreed to by West Bengal government and it revised the proposal, first to Rs 1,015 crore and then again revised steeply downward to Rs 606 crore with 25 per cent of the amount to be generated by the university at its level. Noticing a significant decrease in the budget outlay, the matter was referred to the UGC and EEC to examine the proposal afresh and both of them recommended the Ministry of Education to not consider the university for IoE status," the official added.
No response was available from the three universities on the issue.
The Education Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 as per which 20 institutions were to be selected -- 10 public and 10 private ones -- that would enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy.
In the first lot, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Bombay and the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) were awarded the IoE status in the public sector, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education and BITS Pilani in the private sector, while the Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation was given the tag in Greenfield category.
In 2019, five public institutions, including Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, IIT-Madras and IIT-Kharagpur were granted the status.
A Letter of Intent for granting the IoE status was also issued to five private universities -- Amrita Vidyapeetham and Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, Odisha's Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi and Satya Bharti Foundation's Bharti Instiute in Mohali.
Similarly, governments of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu were asked to indicate their commitment towards contribution to Jadavpur University and Anna University to enable them to have the IoE tag.
"On the recommendation of EEC and UGC, the Ministry had sought financial commitment from the Tamil Nadu government for its share of funds under the scheme to make good of the shortfall in funds, if any, to ensure proper execution of implementation plans under the IoE Scheme.
However, the state government refused any financial commitment owing to its financial condition and informed that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly had passed a bill, bifurcating the University into Anna Technological and Research University and Anna University.
"Also, a committee set up by the Tamil Nadu government recommended that Anna University does not require IoE status. Therefore, the state government has withdrawn the proposal submitted earlier to confer the status of IoE on the university," the official said.
While the government will provide funding up to Rs 1,000 crore to public institutions with IoE tag, in case of private institutions proposed as Institutions of Eminence, there will be no financial support. But they will be entitled to more autonomy as a special category Deemed University.
"Following the Supreme Court order, division of Hamdard National Foundation (HNF) into Hamdard Education and Cultural Aid Committee (HECA) and Medical Relief and Education Committee (MREC) based on the resolution of the family settlement deed is proposed. Since, IoE status was granted in toto, the EEC, after due deliberation has recommended to not consider the institution for IoE status," the official said.
According to a Parliamentary panel, the Ministry of Education has informed that the draft MoUs received from four private institutions -- JIO Institute; Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore; Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore -- recommended for IoE status have been forwarded to the UGC for placing it before the EEC and forward its advice.
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Here's how netizens, media outlets projected Ashwini Kumar's bomb threat as 'Lashkar-e-Jihadi'
Mumbai: Mumbai was thrown into panic late on Thursday night when police received a WhatsApp message warning of a large-scale terror attack during the Ganesh festival. The message, written in the name of a jihadi group called “Lashkar-e-Jihadi,” claimed that 14 Pakistani terrorists had entered Mumbai with 400 kilograms of RDX loaded in 34 vehicles.
It warned of blasts that could kill as many as one crore people. Authorities immediately declared a high alert, and the case was handed over to the Crime Branch while the Anti-Terrorism Squad and other security agencies were put on standby.
Within hours, the threat made national headlines. Television channels and online portals reported the possibility of a terror strike, repeatedly linking the message to Pakistan-based groups.
The incident was projected as yet another attempt to destabilize Mumbai, and the supposed involvement of a jihadi outfit quickly gained traction across the media. However, a swift investigation by Mumbai Police traced the origin of the message to a very different source.
By Saturday, police had tracked down and arrested Ashwin Kumar Supra, a 50-year-old astrologer and Vastu consultant living in Sector 79 of Noida. Originally from Patna, Kumar admitted during interrogation that he had sent the message using the name of his former friend Firoz. In 2023, Firoz had lodged a fraud case against him at Phulwari Sharif police station in Patna, leading to Kumar’s three-month imprisonment. Seeking revenge, Kumar attempted to frame Firoz by posing as a jihadi terrorist. Police recovered his mobile phone, SIM cards, and other digital devices used in the hoax.
When the threat first came to light, social media was flooded with heated reactions. Journalist @Manju_IBNews wrote, “Another election around the corner!” while user @kv_mcu posted an aggressive comment demanding to “ban Islam and burn the Quran,” calling for mass deportations and tying the incident to culture and religion. In response, @RIMMS51979 countered sharply, saying, “Caller Name is Ashvini kumar what will you burn now.” Another user, @Valkyrie00777, questioned the credibility of the threat, pointing to contradictions in the claim that 14 terrorists had entered India with 34 bombs and 400 kilograms of RDX. Meanwhile, @Liberal51601607 remarked, “Terrorists have no religion.. Anyone..?”
Fact-checkers also weighed in. @zoo_bear (Mohammed Zubair) accused NDTV of omitting crucial context, posting: “Adani's TV hasn't mentioned that the accused Ashwini Kumar sent the bomb threat message to Mumbai police in the name of his friend Firoz to frame him.” The fact-check website Aazad Fact Check (@AazadFactCheck) published a detailed rebuttal, saying the story had quickly evolved into a propaganda tool. It noted that the supposed intelligence about “human bombs in vehicles” was technically flawed and described the entire sequence as “a pure example of Indian narrative building before a false flag operation.”
Adani's TV hasn't mentioned that the accused Ashwini Kumar sent the bomb threat message to Mumbai police in the name of his friend Firoz to frame him. https://t.co/17nZxYOrql
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 6, 2025
After Ashwini Kumar’s arrest, the tone of the online conversation shifted sharply. Activist @ShabnamHashmi posted, “Ashwini Kumar 50 Year Old Astrologer from Noida has been arrested for sending these threats in the name of a Muslim. This is how Sangh sleeper cells are spreading hatred. Stop the Hate factory! Vote Out the Vote Chori Gang.” Journalist @indscribe (Shams Ur Rehman Alavi) observed that newspapers splashed the initial threat on front pages but buried the arrest details inside. “When the guy gets caught, the same newspapers don't publish his photo, relegate it to page 14 or reduce it to a single column… Interest gone after ‘name’ found,” he wrote.
Ashwini Kumar 50 Year Old Astrologer from Noida has been arrested for sending these threats in the name of a Muslim. This is how Sangh sleeper cells are spreading hatred
— Shabnam Hashmi (@ShabnamHashmi) September 6, 2025
Stop the Hate factory !
Vote Out the Vote Chori Gang pic.twitter.com/IzpLjWVJgu
Other users highlighted systemic and political angles. @shfique13 argued that there are now “two laws” in the country—one protecting those aligned with the government and another used to suppress truth-tellers. @SoodRajive claimed the episode was staged, alleging Kumar had been paid to frame a minority and calling it “a staged toolkit drama.” User @hussain2577 wrote sarcastically, “Such an innocent n bright person. Plzz grant him bail, Garland him, Give him BJP membership form.” Another account, @Sangliyana, remarked, “Risking his life just to frame a Muslim boy. This is what 11 years corrupting mind.” Finally, @rsbisht__ argued that Kumar’s only aim was to trap Firoz, linking it to what he described as rising hatred against Muslims in Uttar Pradesh under the Modi and Yogi administrations.
