Supreme Court Orders In-depth Review of Private Universities, Seeks Detailed Affidavits from Centre, States and UGC

The Supreme Court has ordered a comprehensive review of private universities and asked top officials of the Centre, states, and the UGC to furnish detailed information on establishment and regulation of such varsities. This is in an attempt to bring about clarity on the operation of private universities and transparency in their governance.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria while it was hearing a writ petition on Amity University, which latterly developed into a PIL. The court wants to know how private universities are established, what benefits are extended to them and to what extent they observe regulatory compliance.

Particulars Required from Government Officials

The apex court has ordered the Cabinet Secretary, Chief Secretaries of all states, and the Chairman of UGC to file an affidavit regarding the governance structures of private universities. The court made it clear that these secretaries are required to compile the information personally and present them before the court without assigning the responsibility to their subordinates.

Some of the salient information sought include the persons running these institutions, the membership of decision-making bodies like boards of governors or managing committees. The affidavits should also explain the manner of selection for such positions and full details with respect to all persons associated with the establishment and administration of private universities.

UGC's Monitoring Role Under Scrutiny

The court asked the UGC to explain its monitoring role regarding private universities. The court has asked that in what way it exercises the requirement of compliance with the statutory requirements, particularly after declaring 54 state private universities in September 2025 for non-compliance with documentation obligations under Section 13 of the UGC Act, 1956. This section empowers the UGC to inspect universities to assess their financial viability and educational standards.

The Supreme Court also expressed apprehensions on the admission policies and recruitment mechanisms followed by private universities. It wants to know whether such institutions run on 'no profit, no loss' principles and what measures the government has to ensure there is no financial malpractice, such as diversion of funds for motives other than education.

 The scrutiny by UGC and the intervention of the Supreme Court come amid increased scrutiny of private universities across the country. The review seeks to address long-standing issues related to admissions, financial practices, and the general governance of such institutions. As the court examines these concerns, it aims at upholding educational standards, with protection of interests of students and other stakeholders in mind.