Under the current regulations, institutions must possess a minimum of 100 acres of land to start a private university.
Published Oct 15, 2025 | 6:07 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 15, 2025 | 6:07 PM
The Tamil Nadu Assembly
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday introduced two significant bills – one to ease norms for setting up private universities and another to raise pensions for former legislators. The Private University (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to reduce the minimum land requirement from 100 acres to 25 acres in city areas and 35 acres in smaller towns, while the second bill formalises an increase in the monthly pension for ex-MLAs and MLCs from ₹30,000 to ₹35,000.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday, 15 October, saw the introduction of two key bills – one aimed at simplifying the process of establishing private universities in the state and another to increase the monthly pension for former legislators.
The Private University (Amendment) Bill, 2025, tabled by Higher Education Minister Kovi Chezhiyan, seeks to make it easier for educational institutions to set up private universities in Tamil Nadu by relaxing the existing land requirements.
Under the current regulations, institutions must possess a minimum of 100 acres of land to start a private university – a rule that the government said had made it “extremely difficult to identify suitable land parcels, particularly in urban areas.”
The amendment proposes to reduce the minimum land requirement to 25 acres within municipal corporation limits and 35 acres within municipal or town panchayat limits.
The government said the move was intended to promote the growth of higher education while keeping in mind “the welfare of students.” It added that several private universities and global institutions had expressed interest in collaborating with the state to offer modern, industry-oriented programmes, but that the stringent land norms had been a major obstacle.
By easing these requirements, the state hopes to attract reputed institutions, enhance academic diversity, and strengthen Tamil Nadu’s position as a hub for higher education.
In a separate development, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan tabled a bill to implement Chief Minister MK Stalin’s earlier announcement to raise the monthly pension for former members of the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council from ₹30,000 to ₹35,000.
The Chief Minister had made the announcement during the previous Assembly session, and the enhanced pension has been in effect since April 2025. The new legislation gives formal legislative backing to that decision.
According to the statement of objects and reasons, the measure will involve an additional annual expenditure of ₹6.23 crore from the state’s consolidated fund.
The bill is expected to be passed on the final day of the ongoing Assembly session.
