The LDF government in Kerala on Monday approved a draft bill for the establishment and management of private universities in the state called Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Draft Bill, 2025. The draft bill is expected to be tabled in the current session of the Assembly.
According to the draft bill cleared by state Cabinet today, the university must own land as per the guidelines set by regulatory bodies and deposit Rs.25 crore corpus fund in the state treasury. If it is a multi-campus university, the main campus must cover at least 10 acres.
The university must also follow UGC and state government guidelines regarding faculty appointments, the selection of the Vice-Chancellor, and overall administration. The bill mandates that 40 per cent of seats in each course must be reserved for students from Kerala, following the state’s existing reservation policy.
At least 40% of seats in each course will be reserved for students who are permanent residents of the state, following the existing reservation system. Fee waivers/scholarships for students from Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes should be maintained.
To apply, an institution must submit a detailed project report with information on land and financial resources, the bill stated. An expert committee will review the application. The committee will include a government-nominated academician as chairperson, a vice chancellor, the higher education secretary, a nominee from the Kerala State Education Council, a nominee from the Planning Board, and the district collector.
State Higher Education Secretary and another secretary nominated by the state government will be part of the university’s governing bodies to ensure proper regulation.
The state government will have one nominee in the executive council and three nominees in the academic council of the private university. The democratic rights of students, teachers, and staff will be protected, and grievance redressal systems will be in place.
Additionally, employee benefits, including provident fund (PF), must be guaranteed. The Cabinet also approved amendments to university laws, removing the provision that allowed universities to set up study centres outside the state and abroad.
When the draft bill to grant permission to private universities in the state came before the state Cabinet last Wednesday, the CPI ministers raised concerns and the bill was postponed for further discussion .Though the reservations of the CPI have been addressed in the Cabinet, All India Youth Federation(AIYF) and the All India Students Federation(AISF), both affiliated to the CPI, have opposed the move to permit private universities, alleging that it will lead to commercialization of education
State Higher Education Minister R Bindu on Tuesday said here that private universities are essential in the state. “If we want to keep up with the times, we have to move forward with private universities,” she said.The minister clarified that private universities in Kerala would be socially controlled, unlike in other states . Kerala cannot remain apart from other states in the country, she added
The minister pointed out that this is a policy change in line with the times. There is no need to impose untouchability on private universities anymore.