T.N. Assembly | Govt. withdraws contentious Private Universities (Amendment) Bill

Tamil Nadu government withdraws the Private Universities (Amendment) Bill amid opposition, reviewing its controversial provisions.

The State government on Friday (February 20, 2026) withdrew the contentious Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which had been passed by the House last year. The Bill allowed for the conversion of existing private or government-aided colleges into a new category called “Brownfield Universities” by altering the minimum requirement of contiguous land needed to establish such institutions.

Within a few days of the Bill being passed in the House amid opposition from the AIADMK and a few other parties, Higher Education Minister Govi. Chezhiaan had said the government would withdraw and review it.

While Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019, mandates a minimum of 100 acres of contiguous land to establish private universities in the State, the amendment had reduced the requirement for Brownfield Universities to 25 acres in municipal corporation areas, 35 acres in municipal council or town panchayat areas, and 50 acres in other areas. The government also withdrew the Tamil Nadu Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Minister for Finance, Environment and Climate Change Thangam Thennarasu presented the Final Supplementary Estimates for 2025-26 in the Assembly. The Supplementary Estimates placed before the House amounted to ₹43,082.99 crore, of which ₹35,562.66 crore was under the Revenue Account, ₹4,548.71 crore under the Capital Account, and ₹2,971.62 crore under the Loan Account.

The additional appropriation was necessitated by the distribution of ₹3,000 as Pongal assistance along with gift hampers to all rice ration card-holders and families living in Sri Lankan Tamil Rehabilitation Camps. A sum of ₹3,913.32 crore was earmarked for the disbursement of ₹5,000 per beneficiary under the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam, ₹3,086.80 crore was allocated for transfer to the Guarantee Redemption Fund, and ₹3,285.03 crore was set aside for the settlement of benefits to retired, voluntarily retired and deceased employees of the Transport Department, among other expenditures.

The House also passed Tamil Nadu Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, Tamil Nadu Fiscal Responsibility (Amendment) Bill, among others.