MADURAI: The proposed concept of ‘brownfield universities’ to enable converting the aided private colleges into private universities by the Tamil Nadu State government is being strongly opposed with huge public anger by academic fraternity and teachers’ associations.
This comes in the wake of a Bill introduced in the State Assembly yesterday to amend the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act, 2019 and make it easy for the existing government aided private colleges and minority colleges to convert themselves as private universities by making use of this amendment once the relaxed rules come into affect after the legislation.
Major academic voices like AIFUCTO, MUTA, AUT, Tamil Nadu Government Collegiate Teachers’ Association and State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) have condemned and opposed the proposed amendment and appelaed to the Tamil Nadu State govenrment to realize the dangers ahead if private universities take over the higher education.
“Allowing the conversion of government aided colleges into private universities is a step towards establishing Type 3 higher education institutes in accordance with NEP 2020. We appeal to the government not to rush through any legislation to amend the Private Universities Act and make it easy for conversion. How can a student from poor economic background and low income category step into a private university for higher education?,” Mr.P.B.Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary, SPCSS-TN, has questioned in a statement released to the media today-October 16th 2025.
A senior voice of MUTA Prof.Vijayakumar has expressed his deep anguish that the future of staff and students will be at stake when education gets privatized.
“Students will be affected very badly and they cannot afford to puruse college education. This is a sensitive issue and a Bill like this should not be rushed through in thie assembly session without knowing its implications on fees, service conditions etc,” he said while voicing his concerns in Madurai today morning.
