CPI urges withdrawal of Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, cites threat to social justice

Chennai, Oct 18 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (CPI) has urged the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw the recently passed Bill amending the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, warning that the proposed changes could erode social justice and weaken state regulation in the higher education sector.

In a statement issued on Saturday, CPI state secretary M. Veerapandian said that the amendment — which eliminates the requirement for a private university to possess a minimum of 100 acres of land — would open the floodgates for the unchecked expansion of private universities across the State.

He said the move would result in a situation where higher education institutions function without adequate infrastructure, transparency, or accountability.

“The amendment will lead to the mushrooming of private universities like parasites, endangering the very essence of public education,” Veerapandian warned, calling the measure a step backward for equitable access to education.

He added that the removal of key regulatory safeguards could allow corporate and commercial interests to dominate the education sector.

The CPI leader also criticised provisions that, according to him, enable the government to withdraw from critical oversight areas such as student admissions, fee regulation, and the appointment of vice-chancellors and pro vice-chancellors.

The reconstitution of governing councils, he argued, would further erode state influence in maintaining academic integrity and ensuring representation for marginalised sections. Veerapandian said the Bill undermines the Dravidian model of social justice, which has long guided Tamil Nadu’s education policy.

“By reducing the government’s role and accountability in higher education, this amendment weakens the framework of reservation and equality that has empowered thousands of first-generation learners,” he said.

He urged the State government to reconsider its stance and hold consultations with educationists, senior academicians, and student organisations before implementing any policy that alters the character of the State’s higher education system.

“The government must withdraw the Private Universities (Amendment) Bill immediately to protect the values of inclusiveness, fairness, and access that define Tamil Nadu’s education model,” the statement concluded.

--IANS

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