Top Indian universities, educational institutes and several NGOs have been barred by the Centre from receiving any foreign funding.

As per the media reports, the registration of these institutions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Union Home Ministry as they have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years.

According to the FCRA, the renewal of registration for receiving foreign funds cannot be granted unless the annual returns are uploaded on the FCRA website by the organisation.

Here’s what the law states:

No organisation/institute is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA.

Also, it is mandatory under the law for such organisations to submit income and expenditure statement to the government annually else their registration is cancelled.

List of renowned education institutes whose license has been cancelled:

• Jawaharlal Nehru University

• University Of Delhi

• Indira Gandhi National Open University

Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

• Panjab University

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research

• Gargi College, Delhi

• Lady Irwin College

• Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College

List of other organisation whose FCRA registrations were cancelled:

Supreme Court Bar Association, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning and Architecture, Delhi and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. The Doon School Old Boys Association, , Delhi, Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Monohar Lohia International Trust and Co-ordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency.

More on the report:

• The action came after the organisations failed to file the returns for five consecutive years, 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite serving repeated notices, a home ministry official told PTI

• In May, as a one-time measure, all NGOs were given an opportunity for one month to file their missing annual returns by June 14 without paying any penalty

• Moreover, the organisations were notified through email and SMS alerts

• Furthermore, the organisations were asked to furnish their replies, if any, by July 23.

[“Source-timesofindia”]