The University Grants Commission (UGC), on January 22, 2026, issued an advisory to Higher Education Institutions drawing attention to inputs received from the Ministry of Education regarding attempts by vested foreign entities to collect sensitive information linked to India’s national security, defence establishments, critical infrastructure and government functioning.
UGC highlighted that such entities are reportedly using job portals and professional networking platforms to identify individuals—especially those with journalism and defence-related backgrounds—and engaging them to prepare articles on sensitive topics such as troop deployment, defence procurement, weapon systems, military exercises and foreign relations, with payments routed through Indian or overseas channels and intermediaries.
All Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been advised to ensure wide dissemination of this advisory among students and faculty to sensitize them to exercise due caution, avoid sharing sensitive personal or official information, and remain alert to suspicious recruitment or consultancy approaches.
[D.O. No. 2-53/2025(CPP-II)]
