Private Universities
A private university is a university established by an Act of a State Legislature and sponsored by a society, a public trust or a company incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. It has the power to award degrees. It is not a Government institution and is generally self-financed.
The State law under which the university is created decides the eligibility for sponsoring a university, the land and endowment required, the structure of its authorities such as the Board of Management and the Academic Council, and the extent of State supervision. The University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956 and the UGC regulations on private universities then set common standards on programmes, faculty, infrastructure and finances. The UGC lists the university once the State informs the UGC of the Act.
A private university cannot affiliate colleges. Professional programmes need the approval of the relevant statutory council, such as the Bar Council of India, the All-India Council for Technical Education or the Pharmacy Council of India, before admissions begin. The terms differ from State to State and change from time to time, so the current State Act and the UGC notices must always be checked.
How EduLegaL can help
Choosing and forming the sponsoring body: a society, a public trust or a Section 8 company
Preparing the project report and handling correspondence at the stage of Letter of Intent and State approval
Drafting and reviewing the Statutes, Ordinances, Regulations and service rules of the university
Legal Support through the UGC listing, information filing and inspection stages
Greenfield and brownfield projects: land title, leases, transfer of an existing institution and approvals
MoUs, collaboration, vendor, placement and international agreements
Intellectual property policy, ownership and commercialisation
Service matters, disciplinary inquiries and POSH compliance
Data protection readiness under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023
Labour Code compliance for faculty and staff
Litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings
To discuss your institution
EduLegaL, A Division of RSB LegaL. Write to us at mail@edulegal.in or use the contact page.
This page gives general information only and is not legal advice.