Meghalaya Cabinet approves new oversight for private universities

The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved amendments to the governing acts of three private universities to align their operations with University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and increase government oversight.

The approved measures include the Maharashtra Institute of Technology of Meghalaya (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Mahatma Gandhi University (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Under these bills, the state governor will serve as the Visitor for both institutions, replacing the previous system where sponsoring bodies nominated the Visitor. Additionally, government representation will increase on the Board of Management and the Board of Governors for these universities.

The Cabinet also passed the Martin Luther Christian University (Amendment) Bill, 2026. This amendment restricts the university to operating within Meghalaya and removes its authority to provide distance education or affiliate colleges. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma stated that these changes are intended to ensure uniformity and regulatory compliance across the state’s universities.