The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), which rates institutions based on their performace, has issued a notice cautioning the institutions against releasing misleading advertisements.

“Any institution found to have issued a misleading advertisement will be barred from future ranking exercises,” an NIRF official said.

The institutions that have got the mail include Jadavpur, Calcutta and Rabindra Bharati universities.

The notice emailed to various campuses across the country by the NIRF member-secretary reads: “It has been observed that many ranked and non-ranked institutions are advertising in the newspapers and magazines highlighting the categories and ranks which have not been announced by NIRF and misleading the general public, students, parents and other stakeholders.”

NIRF has made a list of observations after reviewing advertisements published by some institutions, the official told Metro.

“Institutions are highlighting state-wise or district-wise ranks whereas NIRF does not publish ranks in state-wise or district-wise category. NIRF does not have categories like private institutions, government institutions, not for profit etc. Some of the institutions have mentioned the rank on their website but they have not mentioned the year they were ranked in,” the email states.

A visit to the organisation’s website, `www.nirfindia.org`, makes it clear that the participating institutes are ranked in nine categories — overall, university, engineering, college, management, pharmacy, law, architecture and medical.

NIRF had published its latest rankings on April 9 and the email was sent on May 8.

“We received a number of complaints after the rankings were published,” the NIRF official said. “So, we decided to send this email so that misleading advertisements are not put out in newspapers or magazines during the admission season.”

When asked whether any of the complaints was against any institute from Bengal, the official said: “The complaints were mostly against institutes in south India. But institutes in the other parts can also indulge in such malpractice, especially during the admission season. That’s why the mail was sent to all, including institutes in Bengal.”

The season for admission to undergraduate courses in Bengal will start once the Higher Secondary results are announced on May 27.

“Institutions falling under rank band are also providing ranks while advertising, whereas NIRF has not provided any rank to institutions under rank band,” reads the mail sent by NIRF, which functions under the human resource development ministry and was set up in 2016.

NIRF allots ranks up to the 100th position. Beyond hundred, the institutions are placed in rank bands.

Presidency University has been placed in the 101-150 rank band under the university category.

An official at Jadavpur University said the NIRF had also cautioned the institutes against using the emblem of the ministry or the logo of the rating agency.

“As per the State Emblem of India Act, 2005, no person can use the emblem or any imitation in a manner so as to create an impression that is associated with or/and official document of the central government as the case may be, without permission of appropriate government. No person can use the emblem for commercial purpose or as a part of patent title, trademark or design except in cases as specified by the central government,” the official quoted from the NIRF letter.

The institutions had been asked to send an undertaking by May 22 that they would abide by the NIRF directive.