Bar on conferring, granting or issuing degrees, diplomas or certificates by unauthorized institutions

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other State law for the time being in force, no person or institution, other than the University, shall confer, grant or issue or hold himself or itself out as entitled to confer, grant or issue any degree, diploma or certificate in the specified area of knowledge assigned to it within the territorial jurisdiction of the University which is identical with or is a colourable imitation of any degree, diploma or certificate conferred, granted or issued by the University. (2) Contravention of the provisions of sub-section (1) shall be an offence. (3) Where an offence under this section has been committed by an institution, every person incharge of and responsible to the institution for the conduct of its business at the time of the commission of the offence, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against as per law. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), where an offence under this section has been committed by an institution and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or that the commission of the offence is attributable to any neglect on the part of any partner, director, manager, secretary or other officer of the institution, such partner, director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished as per law. Explanation.— For the purposes of this section, "institution" means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals.