Search whether any Indian institute is genuine and you will find exactly two kinds of page: complaint forums, and the institute's own damage control. What does not exist — anywhere — is the neutral checklist you actually need before money moves.
That absence is not an accident. Almost every site ranking for course queries in India earns money from the courses it covers: lead fees, admission commissions, or affiliate cuts. A site funded by institutes cannot publish "here is how to tell if an institute is lying to you." We can, because nobody pays us to appear here and no ranking on this site is for sale.
These guides are the practical result: how to verify an institute before you pay, how to audit a "100% placement" claim (the trick is always the denominator), why "no-cost EMI" is never actually free and what the real interest rates are, and whether a certificate or online degree carries any legal weight at all. Apply them to any provider — including the ones we ourselves rate highly.
Guides & comparisons
How to Check an Indian Tech Institute Is Genuine — Before You Pay (2026)
Search whether an institute is legit and you get two kinds of page: complaint forums, and the institute's own damage control. Neither helps. Here is the verification protocol — nine checks, the exact script to send a counsellor, and the escalation path if you've already paid.
Firoz Ahmed · 11 min readCourse Scams & Verification"100% Placement Guarantee": How to Audit the Claim Before You Pay (2026)
The claim is usually technically true and practically meaningless, because the denominator has been quietly redefined. Here's how the number is built, the eligibility clause that removes you from it, and the free 20-minute check that settles it.
Firoz Ahmed · 11 min readCourse Scams & VerificationThe 'No-Cost EMI' on Your ₹1.5 Lakh Course Isn't Free — Somebody Paid That Interest (2026)
No-cost EMI doesn't mean no interest. It means the interest was prepaid out of your course fee — which is precisely why you can't get a refund. The real rates, the tax break you don't get, and the RBI rights nobody tells you about.
Firoz Ahmed · 12 min readCourse Scams & VerificationIs Your Coursera, Udemy or Online Degree Actually Valid in India? (2026)
The answer splits hard between private jobs and government jobs, and almost every page online blurs the two. What each credential is actually worth, the ten certificates that are NSQF-aligned, and how to verify an online degree in three minutes.
Firoz Ahmed · 10 min read❓ Frequently asked questions
How do I know if an Indian tech institute is genuine?＋
Get four things in writing before paying: which legal entity issues the certificate and whether it is a degree or a completion certificate; the placement rate computed over students who enrolled (not 'registered' or 'eligible'), with the median package; the full refund policy document; and, if financing, the lender's name plus the Key Fact Statement showing the all-inclusive APR. Then check the institute's alumni from 12–18 months ago on LinkedIn and count how many actually changed jobs.
Is 'no-cost EMI' on a course actually free?＋
No. The interest is prepaid by the institute out of your course fee through an arrangement called interest subvention — which is precisely why such courses are then non-refundable. Ask for the upfront-payment price: the discount you are offered is the subvention made visible.
How do I verify that an online degree is UGC approved?＋
Verify the specific programme for your specific admission year on the UGC Distance Education Bureau portal at deb.ugc.ac.in — a university being UGC-recognised does not mean a given online programme is entitled, and entitlement is year-specific. Note also that UGC Regulation 22 prohibits online mode entirely for engineering, law, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, architecture and several other disciplines.