UGC Alerts Universities on Foreign Entities Seeking Sensitive Information Through Job Portals
New Delhi:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a nationwide alert to all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), warning them about attempts by vested foreign entities to collect sensitive information related to India’s national security, defence establishments and critical infrastructure.
In a communication issued by the Ministry of Education on January 22, the UGC said these entities are actively targeting individuals—particularly those with backgrounds in journalism and defence—through popular job portals such as LinkedIn and Naukri.com.
According to the advisory, candidates are being approached under the guise of freelance or consultancy work and are assigned tasks involving source-based articles on strategically sensitive subjects. These include India’s foreign relations, troop deployments, weapon systems, defence procurements, joint military exercises and war-related activities.
The UGC noted that payments for such assignments are often routed through Indian bank accounts, including student accounts, or through overseas transfers. In some cases, proceeds of cyber fraud are allegedly being used to mask the source of funds.
The entities involved reportedly conceal their real identities, presenting themselves as representatives of consulting firms operating from foreign countries. Of particular concern is the collection of sensitive personal documents such as PAN and Aadhaar cards from applicants, especially those with defence-related experience, through Indian intermediaries.
Calling the implications of such data collection “unknown and potentially serious,” the UGC has directed all universities and higher education institutions across the country to remain vigilant and keep a close watch on such activities.
All HEIs have been asked to widely disseminate this information among students, faculty members and researchers to sensitise them and ensure they exercise extreme caution while engaging with unsolicited job offers, research assignments or writing opportunities linked to sensitive national issues.
The advisory underscores the need for academic institutions to play a proactive role in safeguarding national interests amid growing concerns over covert information-gathering operations targeting India’s knowledge ecosystem.