Goa approves private universities establishment in state

The government of Goa has approved changes to the Goa Private Universities Act, 2020. This decision will allow the establishment of private universities in the state. The cabinet approved the amendment on Thursday. A key requirement is that anyone wanting to build a private university must have at least 50,000 square meters of land, either owned or leased for a minimum of 30 years. The bill specifies that the land and any other property related to the university must be used only for academic and research purposes. If not enough candidates from reserved categories apply for university programs, the reserved seats will be open to unreserved category students. The bill gives the sponsoring body the power to nominate the university's first leaders, including the president and vice-chancellor. These positions will transition to new appointees after two years or when new leaders are chosen. Additionally, the sponsoring body can create the university's initial governing and academic councils. These councils will be replaced by formal bodies after two years or when they are established. The Goa Private Universities Act was introduced to enhance higher education by allowing private institutions to offer programs not currently available in the state.