Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has decided to withdraw the Private University Amendment Bill passed in the Assembly earlier this month and conduct a detailed review, State Higher Education Minister Kovi Chezhiyan said.

In a statement, the Minister said the Bill, introduced in the Assembly on October 15, aimed to simplify procedures for upgrading existing private educational institutions into state private universities and for establishing new ones.

He said Tamil Nadu has the highest gross enrolment ratio in higher education in the country, creating a demand for more higher educational institutions. To address this, the Bill proposed to reduce the land requirement for setting up a private university from 100 acres of contiguous land, as mandated under the current law, citing difficulties in securing such large tracts in urban and semi-urban areas.

However, following concerns raised by MLAs, educationists, and the public on social media regarding the proposed amendments, the government has decided to consult experts and stakeholders before taking the next step, the Minister said.

“Based on the advice of the Hon'ble Chief Minister, the Bill will be withdrawn, and a comprehensive review will be undertaken after obtaining the views of academicians, sectoral experts, and department officials,” the statement said.

The Minister emphasized that the government remains committed to expanding quality higher education in the state while ensuring that reforms align with public interest and academic standards.