RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528
महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र
असाधाराण भाग आठ
वर्ष १२, अंक ४७] गुरुवारा, ऑगस्ट १३, २०२६/श्रावण २२, शाके १९४८ [पृष्ठे ४, किंकंमत : रुपये २७.००
असाधाराण क्रमांक १२४
प्राकिंधाकृत प्राकाशान
महाराष्ट्र किंवधानमंडळाचे अकिंधाकिंनयेम व राज्येपालांांनी प्राख्येाकिंपत केलांेलांे अध्येादेशा व केलांेलांे
किंवकिंनयेम आकिंण किंवकिंधा व न्येाये किंवभागाकडून आलांेलांी किंवधाेयेके (इंग्रजी अनुवादे).
In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation in English of the Maharashtra Public Universities (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2026, (Mah. Act No. LIII of 2026), is hereby published under the authority of the Governor.
By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra,
SUPRIYA DHAWARE, Secretary (Legislation) to Government, Law and Judiciary Department.
MAHARASHTRA ACT No. LIII OF 2026.
(First published, after having received the assent of the Governor in the
"Maharashtra Government Gazette", on the 13th August 2026).
An Act further to amend the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.
Mah. VI of 2017.
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 (Fourth Short title.
Amendment) Act, 2026.
भाग आठ-१२४–१
(१)२ महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट १३, २०२६/श्रावण २२, शाके १९४८ 2. In section 6 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016 (hereinafter referred to as "the principal Act"), in sub-section (2),— Mah. VI of 2017. Amendment of section 6 of Mah. VI of 2017.
(1) before the existing proviso, the following proviso shall be inserted, namely :—
"Provided that, any institution of the State Government or Central Government or any institute of national importance in India, may be associated with or be admitted to the privileges of a university, even if such institution is situated outside the university area:";
(2) in the existing first proviso, for the words "Provided that", the words "Provided further that" shall be substituted;
(3) in the existing second proviso, for the words "Provided further that", the words "Provided also that" shall be substituted.
3. In section 8 of the principal Act, for sub-section (6), the following sub- section shall be substituted, namely :—
Amendment of section 8 of Mah. VI of 2017.
"(6) The State Government shall have right to cause an inspection of any affiliated, conducted or autonomous college, recognized institution or the university and university departments, through an officer duly authorised by it, whenever the State Government deems it necessary to do so.".
4. After section 35 of the principal Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely :—
Insertion of new section 35 A of Mah. VI of 2017.
"35A. (1) There shall be the School of Studies under each Faculty in School of Studies.
the university.
(2) The university departments and centres conducting courses of studies and research in the relevant subjects or group of subjects shall function under the aegis of the respective School of Studies.
(3) Each School of Study shall be headed by the Director, who shall be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor, from amongst the Heads of the Departments who shall have at least five years' experience of teaching as professor or associate professor in the university, by rotation, for a period of not more than three years.
(4) The functioning and administration of the School of Studies, procedure for nomination of the Director of the School of Studies, terms and conditions of service of the Director including his duties and responsibilities, shall be as prescribed by the Statutes.".
5. In section 65 of the principal Act, after the words "No person" the words "except an ex-officio member" shall be inserted.
Amendment of section 65 of Mah. VI of 2017.
6. In section 70 of the principal Act,—
(i) for sub-section (1) , the following sub-section shall be substituted, Amendment of section 70 of Mah. VI of 2017. namely:-
"(1) When any vacancy of an elected member of any authority, other than the Management Council, occurs before the expiry of his normal term, the vacancy shall be filled by nomination of a person by the Standing Committee constituted under sub-section (3), who is otherwise eligible to be elected on the said authority from the same category.";
महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट १३, २०२६/श्रावण २२, शाके १९४८ ३(ii) in sub-section (2), the words "other than an ex-officio member" shall be deleted.
7. For section 79 of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely :—
Amendment of section 79 of Mah. VI of 2017.
Ombudsperson.
"79. (1) There shall be an Ombudsperson in each university to deal with and decide all types of grievances of teachers and other employees of the university, affiliated and autonomous colleges and recognized institutions, other than those managed and maintained by the Central Government, State Government or a local authority.
(2) The Ombudsperson shall not deal with and decide the grievances against the State Government including its officials and the grievances which are within the jurisdiction of the University and College Tribunal.
(3) The Vice-Chancellor shall recommend a panel of three retired Judges not below the rank of the District Judge, for being appointed as the Ombudsperson, for the consideration of the State Government.
(4) The State Government shall appoint one of the persons included in the panel of three persons recommended by the Vice-Chancellor to be the Ombudsperson for the university.
(5) The Ombudsperson shall be appointed for a term of three years from the date of assuming office, and shall be eligible for reappointment for one more term :
Provided that, no Ombudsperson shall hold office after attaining the age of seventy years.
(6) The State Government may remove the Ombudsperson from office, on charges of proven misconduct or misbehaviour.
(7) No order of removal of Ombudsperson shall be made except after an inquiry made in this regard by a person not below the rank of a retired judge of the High Court, in which a reasonable opportunity of being heard shall be given to the Ombudsperson.
(8) The Ombudsperson shall be entitled for remuneration and conveyance charges, as may be determined by the university.
(9) The Ombudsperson shall decide grievances as mentioned in sub- section (1), after giving reasonable opportunity of being heard to both the parties.
(10) The Ombudsperson shall hear, settle and decide grievances as per the law, as far as may be practicable, within three months, from the date of filing of the complaint.
(11) The university shall establish a Cell headed by the officer of the university not below the rank of the Assistant Registrar for providing administrative assistance to the Ombudsperson.".
४ महाराष्ट्रट शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग आठ, ऑगस्ट १३, २०२६/श्रावण २२, शाके १९४८ 8. In section 81 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1),—Amendment of section 81 of Mah. VI of 2017.
(i) for clause (b), the following clause shall be substituted, namely :—
" (b) any party aggrieved by the decision of the Ombudsperson appointed under this Act ; " ;
(ii) in the existing proviso, for the words "Grievances Committee" the word "Ombudsperson" shall be substituted.
9. In section 121 of the principal Act, the following sub-section shall be added, namely :—
Amendment of section 121 of Mah. VI of 2017.
"(9) In the event of the closure of affiliated college, recognized institution, faculty, course of studies or satellite centre, the management shall be solely responsible for all liabilities arising out of establishment and services of teachers, non-teaching employees and other staff affected by such closure, except such liabilities of the teachers, non-teaching employees and other staff appointed on the posts aided by the State Government.".
Amendment of section 137 of Mah. VI of 2017.
10. In section 137 of the principal Act, in sub-section (3), for the words "as a private student of the university or join correspondence course or any other external degree or diploma course of the university" the words "as a student of the degree or diploma programmes offered by the Centre for Distance Education of the university." shall be substituted.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR, 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, SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR.