THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state cabinet meeting has approved the private universities bill. The draft bill has been approved by eliminating the post of visitor. It is reported that the bill will be introduced in the current session of the assembly. The crucial change is due to the opposition of the CPI.

The private universities draft bill has been prepared without the government's control over fees and student admission. The government will have power over the administrative matters of universities. The government will have the power to dissolve the university by giving a notice of six months in advance if the law is violated.

The Private Universities Bill was prepared on the recommendation of a commission formed under the chairmanship of Shyam B. Menon, former VC of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University in Delhi. More than twenty institutions have come forward with their interest in setting up private universities in the state in fields like health, technology, law etc. There are indications that prominent institutions in the country like Manipal, Symbiosis, Amity and others are also interested in starting a university in Kerala.