Four higher education Bills passed in Andhra Assembly; land norm for private universities eased

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (August 19, 2026) unanimously passed four key Bills aimed at reforming higher education, easing regulations for private universities, promoting skill-based education and streamlining faculty recruitment in State universities. Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD) Nara Lokesh introduced the Bills.

The A.P. Higher Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to convert the existing regulatory commission into a committee with its mandate restricted to fee regulation and prevention of commercialisation of higher education. Mr. Lokesh said the earlier commission had exceeded its mandate and emerged as a parallel system to the Higher Education Commissioner and the A.P. State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), creating administrative confusion. Functions unrelated to fee regulation will now be handled by the Higher Education Commissioner. The new committee will have a retired High Court judge as chairperson, along with representatives from the APSCHE and universities. Fixed timelines, digital reporting and a transparent mechanism will also be introduced, he said.

The A.P. Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, seeks to simplify regulations and promote investment in higher education. The minimum land requirement for private universities has been reduced from 50 acres to 10 acres in the CRDA region and the municipal corporations of Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati, while 15 acres will be required elsewhere. The minimum investment requirement has been removed, and applications will be examined by an expert committee on a case-by-case basis. The endowment fee has been reduced to ₹5 crore. The Bill also facilitates the establishment of the Vishnu Women’s University, the State’s second women’s university, and provides for fast-track approvals within 60 days through an online system.

The A.P. State Private Skill Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Bill, 2026, aims to bridge the gap between industry requirements and the skills of the youth. It will allow greenfield as well as brownfield skill universities, including the conversion of ITIs, polytechnics and existing institutions. Industry participation in curriculum, equipment, training and apprenticeships will be encouraged through an Industry-Embedded Delivery and Governance model and a Hub-and-Spoke model. Mr. Lokesh said the objective was to produce job-ready youth with both degrees and practical work experience.

The fourth Bill, the A.P. State Educational Institutions Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre Bill, 2026, seeks to fill 1,523 faculty vacancies in State universities and strengthen the implementation of reservation norms. Mr. Lokesh said nearly 77% of teaching posts were vacant, and that the last major recruitment was held in 2012. The Bill provides for university-level recruitment, department-wise reservation representation, faculty adjustment and the creation of supernumerary posts where necessary. It also seeks to provide legal clarity on vertical and horizontal reservations and ensure that future recruitments withstand judicial scrutiny.

Mr. Lokesh said the four Bills together were aimed at improving quality, research, industry linkages, skill development, regulatory transparency and employment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh’s higher education sector.