Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala cabinet on Monday approved two bills—Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Draft Bill, 2025 and the Kerala Senior Citizens’ Bill. Manorama News reported that the cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, decided to present both bills in the ongoing assembly session. It is learned that the Private Universities Bill was approved under pressure from the CPI.

As per the Kerala State Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Draft Bill, 2025, only credible sponsoring agencies with experience in the education sector may apply to establish a private university in the state, a CMO release said.

The university must own land as per the guidelines set by regulatory bodies and deposit a corpus fund of Rs 25 crore in the state treasury, says the bill. The main campus must cover at least 10 acres if it is a multi-campus university. The university must also adhere to UGC and state government guidelines regarding faculty appointments, the selection of the Vice-Chancellor, and overall administration.

The bill mandates that universities follow the state’s existing reservation policy, allowing admission for students from Kerala in 40 per cent of seats in each course. Additionally, scholarships and fee waivers for students from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities will continue.

The bill also clearly outlines the process for establishing private universities in the state. Applicants must submit a detailed project report along with the application fee. This report must include information about the university's land, funding sources, and management structure. A government-appointed expert committee will review the applications and submit its recommendations within two months. Once approved, the university will be officially recognised through a law passed in the Legislative Assembly.

Private universities will have the same rights and powers as public universities. The bill also states that the state government will not provide financial assistance to private universities, though they may apply for research grants.

The State Higher Education Secretary and another secretary nominated by the state government will be part of the university's governing bodies to ensure proper regulation. The state government will have one nominee in the executive council and three nominees in the academic council of the private university.

The democratic rights of students, teachers, and staff will be protected, and grievance redressal systems will be in place. Additionally, employee benefits, including the provident fund (PF), must be guaranteed.

The Cabinet also approved amendments to university laws, removing the provision that allowed universities to set up study centres outside the state and abroad. To avoid administrative delays, existing syndicates, senates, and executive committees will continue until new ones are formed or their tenure ends. A special provision will ensure a smooth transition in restructuring university bodies such as academic councils and boards of studies.

The amendments were included in a draft legislative memorandum and sent to the Law Department for further action, the CMO release added.

The bill was introduced after nearly 20 institutions sought permission to establish private universities in the state. Previously, the Oommen Chandy-led government attempted to introduce a similar bill, but it was withdrawn due to protests from the LDF. Ironically, the LDF government has now taken the lead in implementing it.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Senior Citizens Bill, prepared by the Kerala Law Reforms Commission, aims to protect the rights of senior citizens. The bill seeks to prevent neglect and cruelty from children and relatives while encouraging the elderly to engage in activities beneficial to society. It also proposes the establishment of a Senior Citizens’ Commission and District-Level Senior Citizens’ Welfare Committees to ensure their well-being.