Orissa to formulate new Act for Private Universities

Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (UNI) The Orissa government has decided to formulate a new Act for setting up of private Universities in the state.

A decision in this regard was taken yesterday at a high level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the state secretariat here.

Higher Education Minister Samir Dey, Law Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Finance Minister P C Ghadei also attended the meeting.

Official sources said the new Act would be formulated on the line of Acts already in force in Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan and the Apex court judgment in 2005.

The Orissa government in 2003 had moved a bill in this regard in the state assembly which was referred to the selected committee for consideration.

Since the State Assembly was dissolved in 2004, a fresh bill with some amendments to check various loopholes, pointed out in the previous bill, would be placed in the coming winter session of the Assembly, sources said.

But before that the Higher Education department would be asked to prepare a draft bill which would be referred to the Law department and finally it would be placed before the Cabinet for its approval.

The new Act would encourage the introduction of new subjects by the private Universities and the government would have no financial stake in these Universities, sources said.

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