The Tamil Nadu government has decided to withdraw the Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025, following intense opposition from legislators, academicians, and civil society groups.

The move comes after Chief Minister M K Stalin directed the Higher Education Department to retract the Bill in light of the widespread criticism it sparked since its introduction in the Assembly on October 15.

Announcing the decision, Higher Education Minister Dr. Govi Chezhiaan said the amendment was intended to simplify procedures for establishing private universities and to enable eligible private colleges to upgrade into universities.

The proposal sought to cut the minimum land requirement for new universities—from 100 acres to 25 acres within corporation limits, 35 acres in municipalities, and 50 acres in rural areas—bringing Tamil Nadu in line with norms followed by several other states.

Dr. Chezhiaan emphasized that the amendment contained adequate safeguards to protect students, teachers, and non-teaching staff. “The Dravidian Model government will never compromise on social justice, reservation in admissions, fee regulation, or employee rights, even while expanding opportunities in higher education,” he said.

He also pointed out that Tamil Nadu already has one of the highest gross enrolment ratios in higher education in the country, and the Bill aimed only to address practical difficulties in acquiring large contiguous tracts of land in urban areas.

However, critics warned that the move could open the door to the commercialization of higher education. Academicians argued that allowing government-aided colleges to convert into private universities could erode reservation in admissions, inflate fees, and exclude students from marginalized backgrounds.

They also cautioned that it could pave the way for large-scale privatization, leaving faculty in aided colleges vulnerable by stripping them of government-fixed pay scales.

With mounting opposition both inside and outside the Assembly, the Chief Minister intervened, directing the withdrawal of the Bill to ensure that the state’s commitment to equity and accessibility in education remains uncompromised.