Sikkim International University remains non-functional; State to dissolve its legal status

PANKAJ DHUNGEL

GANGTOK: Ever heard of Sikkim International University (SIU) in Sribadam, Soreng District? Passed as an Act by Sikkim Legislative Assembly in 2021?

Sikkim Education department on December 1 issued a press release claiming SIU has not carried out a single academic activity since The Sikkim International University Act, 2021 (Act No. 13 of 2021) was passed in the State Legislative Assembly, received the Governor’s assent on June 18 and was published in the official Gazette on June 29.

State Education department states that the promoters Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment Trust never built a campus, never hired faculty, never formed statutory bodies and never conducted admissions or classes. It also states that the website operated in the university’s name contains “fraudulent and misleading” information and may have been used to misguide students.

“Despite the institution’s continued non-operation in Sikkim; it has come to the notice of the Education Department that Sikkim International University continues to appear at Sl. No 429, as a recognized institution in the University Grants Commission (UGC) portal, The portal raises serious concern, as such recognition may be misused by the promoters of the University to operate that could mislead students and the general public, despite clear provisions of the Act to operate only within the State of Sikkim,” said the Education department.

The Education department maintained that any representation of academic operations, admission, online programmes, or issuance of degrees from outside the State, using the name of Sikkim International University would constitute a fraudulent and unauthorized activity as the university has never commenced operations within Sikkim ever since the Act was passed.

The case of SIU, promoted by the Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment Trust, appears to follow an established pattern: a State Act enables the university, a UGC listing lends legitimacy, and the promoters fail to set up even the basic infrastructure required for functioning, a website carrying misleading claims.

According to the Education department, it has been unable to contact the promoters despite “multiple attempts,” an acknowledgment that raises questions about the due diligence applied before granting statutory approval to the Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment Trust in 2021.

Education minister Raju Basnet did not respond substantively to questions, saying he would comment only after a formal public notice is served to the promoters of SIU. OSD Sonam Paljor Bhutia, who issued the press release, also said he would not elaborate further until the notice is made public. Both officials indicated that further action will depend on the promoters’ response to the notice.

The trail of the Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment Trust leads directly to Manipur, where it established Sangai International University in Churachandpur. Records show that Sangai International University followed a similar trajectory: it was created through a State Act in 2015 and appeared on the UGC list of recognised private universities, but repeatedly failed to submit mandatory information required for inspection.

On December 19, 2023, UGC issued a show-cause notice to Sangai International University for persistent non-compliance. With no response received, UGC delisted Sangai from its recognised universities list on May 30–31, 2024, barring it from offering undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral degrees. Subsequent inquiries by Manipur authorities noted that the university had issued certificates without infrastructure or approved faculty.

The parallels between SIU in Sikkim and Sangai International University in Manipur - both established through State legislation, both promoted by the Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment Trust, both non-functional on the ground, and both at one point listed by UGC - have reinforced concerns over the level of scrutiny applied before granting statutory permissions.

The Education department in Sikkim has now indicated that it will begin the process to repeal the 2021 Act, which would formally dissolve SIU’s legal existence. However, repeal will not address how the university remained unexamined for four years, why the promoters faced no action despite non-compliance.

Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim had previously raised the issue publicly. At a press conference on November 13, the party alleged that SIU had issued certificates in courses such as B.Sc Radiology despite having no campus, laboratories or authorised faculty.

“The Education department's press release confirms what we have been saying all along,” CAP Sikkim spokesperson Albert Gurung said. “The government allowed a university with no teachers, no classrooms and no physical existence to function on paper. Now it admits the website is fraudulent and misleading. This is a systematic failure.”

CAP Sikkim has demanded cancellation of all certificates issued under SIU, action against officials who processed the 2021 Act, and a detailed review of private university approvals granted in recent Assembly sessions. The party has also stated that Sikkim has seen a rise in “paper universities” - institutions legally approved through Acts but lacking physical infrastructure or academic activity. It attributes this to insufficient scrutiny and procedural gaps in the approval framework.

The SIU case is the first in which the Sikkim government has publicly acknowledged that a university established under a State Act has never existed in reality. Officials say that a detailed public notice will be issued shortly, after which procedural action will be taken depending on the promoters’ compliance or lack thereof.

“Students, parents and the general public are strongly advised not to engage or enroll in any programme offered by the Sikkim International University (SIU) , Sribadam, whether conducted within Sikkim or outside the State. The Government shall coordinate with the UGC and appropriate authorities to ensure that such misuse is stopped immediately,” said the Education department.