Land Rules To Fees: Why Tamil Nadu’s Private Universities Bill Has Raised Concerns

Tamil Nadu’s proposed changes to the rules governing private universities have opened a debate over land requirements, regulation, fees and access to higher education. The Bill, passed by the State Assembly, is now before Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who has sought clarifications from the government on its provisions.

On September 8, the final day of the Budget session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, Higher Education Minister P. Viswanathan introduced the Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The Assembly subsequently passed it.

The Bill seeks to relax some of the statutory requirements for establishing private universities in the State, particularly those relating to land and the permanent endowment fund.

The CPI, which is extending outside support to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led coalition government, and the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) opposed the Bill.

Governor Arlekar has now sought clarifications from the State government.

The Proposed Changes

Under the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, an institution seeking to establish a private university is required to have at least 100 acres of contiguous land.

The Act also requires the sponsoring body to create a permanent endowment fund of ₹50 crore to meet administrative expenses during the dissolution of a private university. The amendment proposes a graded land requirement based on location.

Private universities within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits would need at least 12 acres of contiguous land. The requirement would be 18 acres for other municipal corporations and municipal councils and 25 acres for the rest of the State.

The proposed amendment would also halve the permanent endowment requirement from ₹50 crore to ₹25 crore.

Why Govt Reducing The Requirements?

The Statement of Objects and Reasons cites recommendations of the Union government’s Task Force on Compliance Reduction and Deregulation.

The task force had identified measures for the education sector aimed at reducing compliance requirements, simplifying procedures and cutting paperwork. It had recommended removing minimum land and endowment requirements for higher educational institutions.

State Higher Education Department officials have also examined land-use patterns in existing private institutions and the availability of contiguous land parcels, as per The Hindu.

Officials said 100 acres of contiguous land was difficult to find even in several rural areas. Large parcels were often available away from cities and towns, which meant institutions could be located far from urban centres.

This, officials said, could make it harder to attract faculty and increase the travel burden for students.

The department also found that institutions with 100 acres did not necessarily use the entire area for academic and student facilities. Officials said academic and administrative buildings and hostels could be developed vertically, allowing campuses to retain space for playgrounds and other facilities.

Main Concerns

The CPI has argued that the changes could encourage the commercialisation of education and affect the social-justice approach followed by successive governments in Tamil Nadu.

The PMK has also raised concerns about commercialisation and said reducing the land requirement could result in inadequate infrastructure at private universities.

Academics have expressed another concern, that the amendments could make it easier for existing self-financing colleges to establish private universities or become affiliated with them.

The government has rejected this possibility. Higher Education Department officials have said existing self-financing colleges affiliated to State universities cannot simply be converted into private universities under the proposed provisions.

The officials have described the proposed institutions as Greenfield Universities, distinguishing them from Brownfield Universities.

Shiv Nadar University And The Debate

The experience of SSN College of Engineering has become part of the discussion around the proposed changes.

SSN secured progressive disaffiliation from Anna University in September 2025. It stopped admitting students through Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions counselling from the 2026-27 academic year and is in the process of merging with Shiv Nadar University.

Before its disaffiliation, SSN was required to collect tuition fees fixed by the Fee Fixation Committee under Tamil Nadu government norms.

The fee structure listed on Shiv Nadar University’s website for the new SSN School of Engineering is considerably higher than the earlier fee structure.

Student organisations affiliated with Left parties have consequently protested against the Bill. They have argued that reducing land requirements could accelerate the privatisation of higher education, allow private institutions to charge higher fees and make access more difficult for students from poorer families, reported The Hindu.

The 2019 Act

The Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, gives the State government several powers to oversee private universities.

Under Section 26, the executive council of a private university includes the Higher Education Secretary and the Director of Collegiate Education as ex-officio members.

Section 50 allows the government to seek information and records from a private university if it believes there has been a violation of the Act, statutes or ordinances. The government also has powers to derecognise private universities.

The proposed amendments come amid the growth of deemed-to-be universities in Tamil Nadu. Around 30 such institutions are functioning in the State. These institutions have greater autonomy over curriculum, examinations, degrees, fees and student intake.

What Happens Next?

The State government must respond to the Governor’s queries on the Bill. The government will now have to address the legal and administrative concerns raised over the proposed changes before the legislation can move ahead.

The immediate issue is whether the State will make any changes to the Bill and how the proposed relaxation of land and endowment requirements will affect the framework governing private universities in Tamil Nadu.