NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission has toughened its position on the Indian Institute of Planning and Management IIPM ) and again posted on its website the July 2012 notice, warning students that the institution was not recognised by the higher education regulator and not authorised to award degrees. UGC is also contemplating legal action against the charge by the private business school 's promoter that UGC officials were "bribe takers" working at the behest of IIPM's competitors.Acting on the Gwalior court order, the government directed internet service providers to block over 73 URLs carrying defamatory articles about the private business school and its chairman Arindam Chaudhuri . This included the UGC's July 2012 public notice informing students that the "IIPM is not an university within the meaning of the UGC Act... does not have the right of conferring or granting degrees as specified under the Act." The site was blocked till early morning on Monday, but is now back online.Senior UGC officials said that they have asked for a copy of the court order, to examine if the UGC is mentioned in it and if it is included in the sites described as "defamatory".Chaudhuri maintains that his institute "imparts a quality of education that is on a par with the best globally". He alleged that the UGC and technical education regulator, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), are organisations full of "bribe-seeking corrupt people where, even at the top, they have a track record of being caught red handed and being jailed." Chaudhuri went on to say that the standard of education that the UGC and AICTE have created "is shameful, to say the least. IIPM is proud to have no affiliation with them."UGC and AICTE officials have described Chaudhuri's statement as "extremely irresponsible". The regulators will be consulting legal counsel to decide the next step.Chaudhuri has also accused the UGC of "deliberately spreading misleading information about IIPM to hurt its business interests"The UGC first put out a notice in July 2012, which was re-issued earlier this month, informing students that the "IIPM is neither entitled to award MBA, BBA, BCA degree not is it recognised by UGC. " the public notice stated.The public notice states: "It is hereby informed to the public at large and students that Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) is not a University within the meaning of Section 2(f) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. Further, as per Section 22 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) does not have the right of conferring or granting degrees as specified by the University Grants Commission under Section 22(3) of the University Grants Commission Act. It is further clarified for information that Indian Institute of Planning and Management is neither entitled to award MBA/BBA/BCA degree nor it is recognized by UGC."