A total of 22 universities spread across nine states including Delhi are fake and are functioning in violation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956. Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha today, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said the UGC has taken several steps against the fraudulent universities. She said UGC has put up the list of fake institutions on its website. <br/><br/>She said, all the self-styled unrecognized and unapproved institutions are cautioned that running of Under-graduate and Post-graduate degree courses and giving misleading advertisements shall attract severe action under the provisions of appropriate laws including the UGC Act and the Indian Penal Code.<br/><br/> The Minister said cases have also been filed in various courts by the UGC against fake universities. She said, the UGC has sent letters to state governments to take appropriate action against the fake universities. The HRD Minister also said that she has written to the External Affairs ministry in this regard.