The Joint Action Council of College Teachers (JAC), Tamil Nadu has opposed the Tamil Nadu government’s move to convert government-aided colleges into “brown field universities” through an amendment to the Private Universities Act tabled in the Assembly on Wednesday.
In a statement on Thursday, the JAC termed the move as an attempt to intensify efforts to privatize higher education in the state, thereby ending the dreams of poor students.
According to the Tamil Nadu Private Universities Act 2019, a minimum of 100 acres was required to establish a private university. However, the amendment bill said the requirement for a brown field university was 25 acres in municipal corporation areas, 35 acres in city or town panchayat areas and 50 acres in other areas. The JAC alleged that this was a ploy to facilitate the establishment of such universities in large numbers and thereby commercialize higher education in the state.
Besides, basic facilities have been established in these aided colleges with the utilization of MP and MLA Local Area Development Fund and UGC grants. Handing them over to private parties was contrary to all principles of social justice. It also meant that the government was turning its back on its social responsibility to provide quality and affordable higher education to students in the state. The move was ideologically in line with the National Education Policy 2020, the statement said.
This came from the State Platform for Common Education System – Tamil Nadu, which said in a statement that the move is a step towards setting up Type 3 higher education institutions in line with NEP 2020. On the one hand, it would affect the poor students and on the other, it would affect the working conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Published – 17 Oct 2025 01:28 IST
