Maharashtra Forms Expert Panel Under Bhushan Patwardhan to Review Private University Norms
In Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level expert committee to review and overhaul the norms governing the establishment and functioning of private universities across the state. The decision was formally announced through a government resolution issued on Friday.
The six-member expert committee will be headed by former University Grants Commission (UGC) vice-chairman Bhushan Patwardhan. The state government has directed the panel to complete its comprehensive review and submit its recommendations within a two-month timeframe.
Private universities across the state are presently governed under the Maharashtra Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2023, and the regulations framed in 2024. However, the government resolution highlighted specific shortcomings and gaps in the existing regulatory framework, prompting the need for a thorough reassessment.
Under its mandate, the committee will evaluate the physical and digital infrastructure standards required for private universities. This includes assessing rules concerning land allotment, campus buildings, laboratories, libraries, digital facilities, student hostels, sports infrastructure, and overall accessibility provisions for persons with disabilities.
The committee will also examine the academic credentials and track records of institutions applying to set up private universities. The panel will look at institutional parameters including National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation, National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings, autonomous status, faculty strength, research publications, and patent filings.
In addition to infrastructure and academic standards, the panel has been tasked with evaluating operational and administrative policies. The review will encompass student admission procedures, reservation policies, fee fixation structures, and grievance redressal mechanisms. The committee will also assess recruitment standards and pay norms for both teaching and non-teaching staff across private universities in Maharashtra.
