The Telangana government has formed a panel to examine all private universities in the state, following Supreme Court instructions for detailed reports on their founding, management, academic quality and regulatory adherence.
This step responds to the court’s ruling in the Ayesha Jain vs Union of India matter, where it noted multiple complaints about private universities and directed states to carry out full inspections and file affidavits on various operational areas.
An official stated that, to meet the order, the state created a high-level group led by the Commissioner of Collegiate Education. Members include the Secretary of the Telangana Council of Higher Education as convenor, the JNTU Registrar as member-convenor, the Palamuru University Registrar, the Chief Finance and Accounts Officer of Osmania University, and the Assistant Director (Academic-C) from the Commissionerate of Technical Education.
Officials noted the court requires states to provide data on nine main points about private universities. These cover reasons for each university’s creation, goals of the sponsoring body, and any prior feasibility or policy reviews.
The court also requested details on land grants or other state concessions, the governing bodies and their member selection process.
The committee’s affidavit must cover admissions, including entry standards and legal compliance, plus faculty hiring and adherence to University Grants Commission rules.
States must further describe oversight methods for regulations, inspection frequency, and responses to breaches.
A key area involves finances of universities claiming a no-profit, no-loss model. The panel will check if funds are redirected to promoters or relatives and if accounts were audited.
The group must also confirm that academic staff receive pay matching legal minimum wages and UGC standards, with salary records reviewed. The Telangana government will compile inspection findings into a full affidavit for the Supreme Court.
