The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Union government to maintain status quo on the 44 deemed universities, which are facing de-recognition for not being up to the standard.
A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik passed the order despite the government's assurance that no follow-up action will be taken against these institutions without the consent of the court.
The apex court also issued notices to all the 44 deemed universities as also their parent varsities to file their response on the government's decision to de-recognise them.
Amidst strong protests from the aggrieved universities on the government's decision, the apex court assured them that it would not pass any adverse order without hearing them, as the issue not only involved several institutions but also two lakh students.
It further directed the Union government to place on record the reports of the review committee and the task force on the basis of which the human resource development ministry had decided to crack the whip on the 44 universities.
It also asked the UGC to place its earlier report on the basis of which the ministry had accorded deemed status to these institutions.