PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss issued a strong statement on Tuesday, pressing the Tamil Nadu government to unequivocally retract the Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025. He asserted that the legislation, in its current form, is a direct affront to social justice principles and would profoundly disadvantage both the teaching and non-teaching staff in educational institutions.
Dr. Ramadoss’s call for outright withdrawal comes despite the government’s announcement of a review of the Bill, a decision made in response to widespread protests from various teachers’ organizations. He maintained that a mere review is insufficient, arguing that the Bill’s core tenets are detrimental to students from economically weaker and marginalized backgrounds.
Highlighting a critical concern, the PMK leader pointed out, “The State government currently bears the responsibility of paying the salaries of teaching and non-teaching personnel in government-aided colleges. Should these institutions be reclassified as private universities under the new Bill, the government would no longer be obligated to cover these salary expenses.”
He further elaborated that the financial security and benefits of these employees are intrinsically linked to their status within government-aided colleges. Dr. Ramadoss also raised alarms about the proposed reservation policy, noting that admissions into private universities under the Bill would offer a mere 35% reservation, a figure he deemed inadequate for ensuring equitable access to higher education.