CollegesHow to check a college before you take admission
Ten minutes of checking can save years. Do these steps before you pay any fee.
Step 1: find the university behind the college
A college does not award the degree; a university does. Ask the college, in writing if you can, which university it is affiliated to for your course. The name of that university will be printed on your degree.
Step 2: check the university on the UGC list
Search for the university in our finder, which uses the UGC's published lists, or on ugc.gov.in under "Universities". Then make sure it is not on the UGC list of fake universities.
Step 3: confirm the college with the university
Most universities publish a list of their affiliated colleges on their own website. Check that your college and your course are on it for the current year. Affiliation can be given course by course and year by year.
Step 4: check the regulator for your course
| Course | Body to check with |
|---|---|
| Engineering, management, technical diplomas | All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) |
| Medicine (MBBS, MD) | National Medical Commission (NMC) |
| Dentistry | Dental Council of India (DCI), which the National Dental Commission is replacing |
| Nursing | Indian Nursing Council (INC), which the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission is replacing, and the state nursing council |
| Pharmacy | Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) |
| Law | Bar Council of India (BCI) |
| Teacher education (B.Ed, D.El.Ed) | National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) |
| Architecture | Council of Architecture (COA) |
Each of these bodies publishes its list of approved institutions on its own website. Bodies and rules change; if your field is not here, ask the university which regulator approves the course.
Step 5: look the college up on AISHE
The Ministry of Education runs the All India Survey on Higher Education. Its website, aishe.gov.in, has an institution directory where you can search for a college by state, district and name and see details such as its AISHE code and its university. A college that has existed for some years should be there.
Step 6: look at quality
- NAAC: the National Assessment and Accreditation Council assesses institutions. Its website shows whether a college is accredited and the result.
- NBA: the National Board of Accreditation accredits individual programmes, mainly technical ones.
- NIRF: the Ministry of Education's yearly ranking. A college need not be ranked to be good, but a rank is a useful sign.
Warning signs
- The college will not name its university, or names one in another state for a regular course.
- A degree is promised in less time than the course normally takes.
- Fees are asked for in cash without a receipt, or to a personal account.
- The "university" appears on no UGC list.
- Pressure to pay today because "seats are closing".
Keep these papers
Keep the prospectus, the fee receipts, the admission letter and screenshots of the approvals shown on the college website on the day you joined. If something goes wrong later, these are your proof.
Questions people ask
How do I check if a college is recognised?
Find out which university the college is affiliated to, and check that university on the UGC list. Then check the approval for your course with the body for that field, such as AICTE for engineering or the Bar Council of India for law.
What is AISHE?
The All India Survey on Higher Education, run by the Ministry of Education. Every university, college and stand-alone institution that takes part has an AISHE code, and the AISHE website has a directory where you can look one up.
Does NAAC accreditation mean a college is recognised?
Accreditation is about quality, not recognition. A recognised college may or may not be accredited. Recognition comes from the university and the regulators; NAAC assesses how well the institution works.
Is an online or distance degree valid?
Only if the university is entitled to offer that programme in that mode. The UGC publishes lists of institutions and programmes entitled for online and distance learning. Check there before you enrol.
Source and date. The lists are those published on the website of the University Grants Commission (ugc.gov.in), read on 11 November 2026. A university can be added, renamed or removed at any time. Before you take admission or pay a fee, check the institution yourself on ugc.gov.in. This is not a government site.