L. A. BILL No. XXII OF 2026.

A BILL

further to amend the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.

WHEREAS, it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Public

Universities Act, 2016 for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby

enacted in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows :—

1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Public Universities (Second

Amendment) Act, 2026.

2. In section 2 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016

(hereinafter referred to as “the principal Act”), after clause (36), the following

clause shall be inserted, namely :—

“(36A) “MahaSARC” means the Maharashtra State Academic and

Research Council as specified under section 77A;”.

Mah. VI of

2017.

Short title.

Mah. VI of

2017.

Amendment of

section 2 of Mah.

VI of 2017.

भाग पाच-अ-१८–१

RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123

महाारााष्ट्रट शाासन रााजपत्र

असाधाारण भााग पाच-अ

वर्षष १२, अंक १०(३)]

सोमवार, मार्चच १६, २०२६/फााल्गुन २५, शकेे १९४७

[पृष्ठेे 4, किं�ंमत : रुपयेे ३६.००

असाधाारण क्रमांं�क १८

प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन

महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानसभेत व महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानपरि�षषदेेत सादर केलेेली वि�धेेयकेे(इंंग्रजी अनुवाद).

MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT

The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the

26th March, 2026 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules :—

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महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा

असाधारण भाग पाच-अ, मार्च १६, २०२६/फाल्गुन २५, शके १९

3. In section 5 of the principal Act,—

(1) after clause (80), the following clause shall be inserted, namely : –

“(80A) to take necessary steps for effective implementation of any

Educational Policy prescribed by the Central Government and adopted by

the State Government, from time to time;”;

(2) in clause (81), after the words “of the university” the words “and any

other directives issued under this Act” shall be inserted.

4. In section 13 of the principal Act, in sub-section (12), for the word

“Chancellor” the words “Management Council” shall be substituted.

5. In section 15 of the principal Act, after sub-section (4), the following

sub-section shall be inserted, namely :–

“(4A) The Vice-Chancellor may appoint, a suitable person qualified to

be appointed as Dean when the office of the Dean falls vacant or when the

Dean is by reason of illness or absence or any other cause, unable to perform

the duties of his office, for a period not exceeding six months, to officiate as

Dean, till the Dean resumes his office, or a new Dean assumes duty, as the

case may be.”.

6. In section 62 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2), for the words “three

months” the words “six months” shall be substituted.

7. After section 77 of the principal Act, the following section shall be

inserted, namely :—

“77A. (1) There shall be a Council to be called as the Maharashtra State

Academic and Research Council (MahaSARC) to advise the Commission and its

Board of Management for framing policies in respect of academic and research

matters in higher education and also to give directives to the university in

academic matters.

(2) The composition, functions and duties of the MahaSARC and

procedure for conduct of business of its meetings and such other matters as

may be prescribed by the State Government.

(3) The MahaSARC shall submit a yearly report of its activities, to the

Commission.

(4) The directives of the MahaSARC in respect of all academic matters

shall be binding upon the Academic Council, Faculty and Board of Studies of

the university.”.

“8. In section 100 of the principal Act, in sub-section (5), in clause (a), in

proviso, for the words “the Chancellor” the words “the Government” shall be

substituted.

Amendment

of section 5 of

Mah. VI of 2017.

Amendment

of section 13

of Mah. VI of

2017.

Amendment

of section 15 of

Mah. VI of 2017.

Amendment

of section 62 of

Mah. VI of 2017.

Insertion of new

section 77A in

Mah.

VI of 2017.

Maharashtra

State Academic

and Research

Council.

Amendment of

section 100 of

Mah. VI of 2017.

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महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा

असाधारण भाग पाच-अ, मार्च १६, २०२६/फाल्गुन २५, शके १९

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

The Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016 (Mah. VI of 2017)

is enacted, to provide for academic autonomy and excellence, adequate

representation through democratic process, transformation, strengthening

and regulating higher education and for matters connected therewith or

incidental thereto. For effective implementation of the National Education

Policy, 2020 and to strengthen the governance, structure of university and

make it able to improve the quality of higher education and research, the

Government considers it expedient to amend the said Act.

2. The salient features of the proposed amendments are as follows,

namely :—

(i) section 5 of the said Act is amended to provide the university to

take necessary steps for effective implementation of any Educational Policy

prescribed by the Central Government and adopted by the State Government;

(ii) sub-section (12) of section 13 of the said Act is amended to provide

for removal of Pro-Vice-Chancellor by the Management Council on the

recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor;

(iii) section 15 of the said Act, is amended to insert sub-section (4A) to

provide for appointment of Dean for the period not exceeding six months, in

case the office of the Dean falls vacant by the reason of illness or absence or

any other cause;

(iv) section 77A is inserted in the said Act to provide for provision of

the constitution of the Maharashtra State Academic and Research Council

to advise the Maharashtra State Commission for Higher Education and

Development and its Board of Management.

The Government also considers it expedient to amend section 2,

sub-section (2) of section 62 and section 100 of the said Act, suitably.

3. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.

Mumbai,

CHANDRAKANT (DADA) PATIL,

Dated the 13th March 2026.

Minister for Higher and

Technical Education.

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महाराष्ट्रõ शासन रा

असाधारण भाग पाच-अ, मार्च १६, २०२६/फाल्गुन २५, शके १९

MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION

The Bill involves the following proposal for delegation of legislative power,

namely :—

Clause 7(2).- Under this clause, power is taken to the State Government

to prescribe by rules the composition, functions and duties of the MahaSARC

and procedure for conduct of business of its meeting.

2. The above-mentioned proposal for delegation of legislative power is of

a normal character.

Vidhan Bhavan :

JITENDRA BHOLE,

Mumbai,

Secretary-1,

Dated the 16th March, 2026.

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,

RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,

MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,

21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.

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