Governor’s move puts Kerala’s private university reform in limbo

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s decision to refer the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2025, to the President appears to have dashed the State government’s ambitious push to allow private universities in Kerala.

The decision, which caught the government off guard, has cast uncertainty over the launch of private universities by the next academic year. It also threatens to stall a major reform initiative of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the final year of its term.

The government, which remains “clueless” about the objections raised, if any, that necessitated the President’s consideration, alleged the move could be part of a broader pattern aimed at weakening Kerala’s higher education sector.

Carefully drafted

Official sources insist that the Bill was carefully drafted to align with the University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations. The legislation also went through significant revisions before being passed by the Assembly. While it initially included provisions for universities to operate multiple campuses, as per the passed Bill private universities can function as unitary institutions and they are barred from affiliating colleges.

“The government had also laid down provisions for “strong social controls.” The Bill includes a range of safeguards designed to ensure equity and accessibility. Among these are the reservation of 40% of seats for students from Kerala, adherence to the State’s reservation policy, and mandatory scholarships and fee waivers for SC/ST students,” a source said.

Such stipulations were apparently intended to avoid potential legal challenges and ensure that private universities would operate in a socially responsible and transparent manner. Provisions for democratic rights of students, faculty and non-teaching staff were also embedded in the legislation, along with a two-tier grievance redressal mechanism, sources added.

Institutions in other States

The LDF government had framed the reform as essential to stem the increasing exodus of students from Kerala to other States and abroad. Notably, the launch of private universities in the State could adversely affect many institutions elsewhere that generally admit Keralite students in considerable numbers.

“Any attempt to torpedo Kerala’s efforts will naturally raise questions about who stands to benefit,” an official said.

The LDF is considering mounting a political campaign to highlight what it sees as an unjustified blockade of a socially inclusive and forward-looking policy.