The Supreme Court has directed the Union government, state governments and the University Grants Commission to submit details of the functioning, governance and regulation of all private and deemed universities, Live Law reported.
A bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria passed the order on November 20 while hearing a writ petition by a student who had changed her name from Khushi Jain to Ayesha Jain in 2021.
She alleged that when she applied for an MBA course at Amity University, Noida, in 2024, officials at the institution refused to recognise her legal name change. Due to this, she could not fulfil the minimum attendance criteria, causing loss of an academic year.
She also alleged that the university officials harassed her for changing to a “Muslim name”, reported Live Law.
The court had earlier ordered the university to pay compensation to the petitioner. After the university paid her Rs 1 lakh, the bench on October 14 stated that the compensation amounts to a “mockery of the court’s sentiments”.
On November 20, it converted the case into a public interest litigation concerning the regulation of private universities.
The bench sought information regarding the provisions of law under which private and deemed universities functioning in the country were established, the circumstances surrounding their approval, any concessions or benefits granted, including land allotments or preferential treatment, and the conditions of such benefits, Live Law reported.
It also asked for full disclosure of the societies or trusts managing the universities, their aims and objectives, and the composition and selection process of the top decision-making bodies.
In addition, the University Grants Commission was ordered to submit an affidavit detailing its statutory and policy mandates, as well as the mechanisms it employs to monitor compliance, covering admissions, faculty recruitment and regulatory checks, Live Law reported.
The court highlighted three key areas for scrutiny: whether the institutions operate on a genuinely “no-profit, no-loss” basis, the grievance redressal mechanisms available for students and staff, and compliance with minimum salary standards for faculty and employees.
“If there is any attempt to withhold/suppress/misrepresent/misstate facts in the affidavits called for, this court will be compelled to adopt a strict view,” the order stated.
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