Maharashtra Sets Up Panel to Tighten Regulations for Private Universities
MUMBAI — The Maharashtra government has decided to review and tighten the rules governing private universities in the state following growing concerns over paper leaks, invalid degrees, opaque admission processes, and excessive or unaccounted fees.
The higher and technical education department issued a government resolution on August 14 appointing a specialized committee to examine the existing criteria for establishing private universities. The panel has been tasked with recommending regulatory, infrastructural, and academic reforms, and it has been given two months to submit its report to the government.
The committee is headed by Professor Bhushan Patwardhan, former vice-chairman of the University Grants Commission and former vice-chancellor of the Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute in Pune. Other members include Professor Nitin Karmalkar, former vice-chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, alongside senior officials from the state's higher education and technical education departments. The panel's findings may lead to amendments to the Maharashtra Private Universities Act, 2023, and its underlying rules.
While existing guidelines prescribe requirements for land, buildings, laboratories, libraries, and digital facilities, the state acknowledged that shortcomings have emerged in the current system. The committee will evaluate whether institutions provide adequate infrastructure for broader student needs, including stricter norms for hostels, sports amenities, and accessibility facilities for students with disabilities.
Academic standards and regulatory compliance form a core part of the review. The panel will scrutinize applicant institutions' National Assessment and Accreditation Council ratings, National Board of Accreditation and National Institutional Ranking Framework standings, faculty qualifications, student-teacher ratios, research output, patents, and innovation. It will also inspect adherence to statutory bodies such as the UGC, All India Council for Technical Education, Pharmacy Council of India, and Bar Council of India.
Additionally, the committee will evaluate admission mechanisms, fee fixation, reservation compliance, online enrollment platforms, student grievance systems, and staff recruitment procedures to ensure transparency in hiring and fair compensation across private institutions.
