UGC notifies framework for private universities to set up off-campus centres

As per UGC notice, private universities can open off-campus centres provided that the relevant State University Act, under which the university has been established, contains a provision to do so. However, a private university set up less than five years ago cannot set up such centres. The university will have to maintain the quality of infrastructure, faculty, and programmes at par with the main campus.

According to UGC records, there are 471 private universities but the UGC has not approved any off-campus centre for any private university. However, several privately owned deemed-to-be universities have been allowed to start off-campus centres with UGC approval.

The latest modalities also allow private universities to “take over any affiliated college” run by the same sponsoring trust or company. The university can progressively close the affiliated college with a no objection certificate from the affiliating university, it states, a departure from UGC’s earlier notice in 2018 according to which private universities cannot affiliate an institution or a college.

Further, the state private university must have an approval or issuance of a Letter of Intent from the relevant statutory or regulatory body to start a specific programme in the off-campus centre. Expansion in terms of programmes or departments and increase in seats can be done only with the approval of statutory authority and the academic council or executive council of the university. The approvals will have to be displayed on the university website, the UGC notice states.

The notice states that state private universities have to send proposals to a standing committee to start off-campus centres, which will be subjected to quarterly inspections by UGC, and in case of violation, the commission can shut the centre and shift the students to the main campus. The state private university will have to own the land or at least lease the land for 30 years to start the centre, the notice said, adding that for establishing the centre, UGC will charge Rs 10 lakh as processing fee.

UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said, “This development marks a notable step, introducing a structured framework for evaluating and considering applications for off-campus centres by state private universities. The move aligns with the evolving educational landscape outlined in the NEP 2020, aiming to enhance regulatory facilitation and support the expansion of higher education.”