SPPU exposes 'ghost college': Synergy School of Commerce had no campus, no affiliation
By TUF News Desk · Published 12 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
A student at Synergy School of Commerce in Pune asked her college for a transfer certificate. The college refused to give it. She took the complaint to Savitribai Phule Pune University. What the university found next was worse than a withheld document: when its inquiry committee visited the college’s registered address, there was no college there at all.
What the university found
The Savitribai Phule Pune University first tried to reach the institution on its registered telephone number. The calls went unanswered. The university then formed an inquiry committee to look into the matter, and the committee’s visit to the officially registered address found the institution was not operating from the location recorded in university documents.
The university also received information that the college had shifted to another location without completing the mandatory approval process with SPPU. The inquiry further flagged that the college was admitting students without valid affiliation and had failed to meet staffing requirements, including the absence of a principal.
Dr Dhananjay Mandlik, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management at SPPU, confirmed that the university had initiated an investigation after the student’s complaint and said the institution was absent from its registered address, having shifted without following the university’s prescribed procedures.
The warning
SPPU has now warned students against seeking admission to Synergy School of Commerce, run by the Synergy Foundation, for the 2026-27 academic year, citing the absence of university affiliation and alleged regulatory violations. The warning covers the institution’s courses under the Commerce and Management faculty.
The university’s own college-search listing still carries Synergy School of Commerce with the record PU/PN/C/363/2009 and a Sadashiv Peth address, which shows why a printed name on a list is not enough on its own.
Check the campus before you pay the fees
This case is a reminder that affiliation status can change and colleges can shift premises without permission. Before paying admission fees to any college under a state university, do three things: search the college on the university’s official affiliation portal, confirm that the address on record is where the college actually functions, and visit the campus to see that classes are running and a principal and staff are in place. A proper guide to choosing a university in India walks through the rest of the checks, from accreditation to fee receipts.
If a college stalls on issuing a transfer certificate, refuses to show its affiliation papers, or cannot be reached on its registered phone number, treat those as warnings and check with the university before going further.
Frequently asked questions
Is Synergy School of Commerce affiliated to SPPU?
SPPU’s own college-search listing still carries its name with the record PU/PN/C/363/2009, but the university’s inquiry found it admitting students without valid affiliation and operating away from its registered address. The university has now warned students against taking admission for 2026-27.
How can I check whether a college is genuinely affiliated before paying fees?
Search the college on SPPU’s official college-search page, confirm the address matches where the college actually functions, and visit the campus to check that classes, staff and a principal are in place before paying any fee.
What triggered the investigation into Synergy School of Commerce?
A student complained to SPPU after the college refused to issue her transfer certificate. The university could not reach the college by phone, formed an inquiry committee, and then found the registered campus empty.
What should students who already took admission there do?
Contact SPPU’s affiliation department directly to verify the college’s current status, keep all fee receipts and admission documents, and do not pay any further fees until the affiliation is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Synergy School of Commerce affiliated to SPPU?
SPPU's own college-search listing still carries its name with the record PU/PN/C/363/2009, but the university's inquiry found it admitting students without valid affiliation and operating away from its registered address. The university has now warned students against taking admission for 2026-27.
How can I check whether a college is genuinely affiliated before paying fees?
Search the college on SPPU's official college-search page, confirm the address matches where the college actually functions, and visit the campus to check that classes, staff and a principal are in place before paying any fee.
What triggered the investigation into Synergy School of Commerce?
A student complained to SPPU after the college refused to issue her transfer certificate. The university could not reach the college by phone, formed an inquiry committee, and then found the registered campus empty.
What should students who already took admission there do?
Contact SPPU's affiliation department directly to verify the college's current status, keep all fee receipts and admission documents, and do not pay any further fees until the affiliation is confirmed.
Sources: The Bridge Chronicle, The DCN News, Pune Pulse