MHA cancels foreign funding license of prime universities

New Delhi : Ministry of Home Affairs has reportedly canceled foreign funding license of several prime institutions in India, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU), IIT-Delhi and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The licenses were cancelled after these institutions failed to file their annual returns for five years.

According to the Home Ministry, several higher education institutions have been barred from receiving foreign funding after failed to file their returns for five consecutive years, 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite being served repeated notices, reported Indian Express.

Other organisations whose FCRA licences have been revoked are: the Supreme Court Bar Association, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Panjab University, Gargi College (Delhi), Lady Irwin College (Delhi), Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture (Delhi) and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation.

Earlier in May, the government had asked all NGOs to file their annual returns within one month with no penalty. But despite deadline and several notices, these institutions failed to provide necessary documents, said an MHA official.