The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked institutions deemed to be universities to shut down off-campus centres without permits. In a written reply in Lok Sabha yesterday, Human Resources Development Minister Smriti Irani said UGC had found that some of these institutions were running the centres without prior permission either of UGC or the ministry. <br/><br/>She said UGC had issued a letter to them on 9th of last month in this connection. Among the institutions she named were Banasthali Vidyapeeth in Rajasthan, Birla Institute of Technology in Mesra, BITS Pilani, Homi Bhabha National Institute (Mumbai) and Indian School of Mines (Dhanbad).