Chapter I PRELIMINARY

Short title and Commencement.—

1. (1) This Act may be called the Jammu and Kashmir Private Universities Act, 2026.
2. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (1) “Academic Council” means the Academic Council of a Private University constituted under this Act;
2. (2) “Act” means the Jammu and Kashmir Private Universities Act, 2026 ;
3. (3) “AICTE” means the All-India Council for Technical Education established under Section 3 of the All-India Council for Technical Education Act, 1987 ;
4. (4) “BCI” means the Bar Council of India established under Section 4 of the Advocates Act, 1961 ;
5. (5) “Chancellor”, “Vice-Chancellor” and “Pro-Vice-Chancellor” means, respectively, the Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of a Private University ;
6. (6) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Regulatory Authority ;
7. (7) “Deans and Directors” mean the Heads of Departments or an Institution, a Centre or a School, or the person appointed for the purpose to act as such in his absence ;
8. (8) “Department” means a Department of Studies of a Private University and includes a Centre of Studies and Research ;
9. (9) “Employee” means any person appointed by a Private University, and includes a teacher or any other member of the staff of the Private University ;
10. (10) “Endowment Fund” means the fund created as per the provisions of this Act ;
11. (11) “Executive Council” means the Executive Council of a Private University constituted under section 33 ;
12. (12) “Expert Committee” means the Committee constituted under section 6 ;
13. (13) “Faculty” means a Faculty of a Private University ;
14. (14) “Finance Committee” means the Finance Committee of a Private University constituted under this Act ;
15. (15) “Governing Council” means the Governing Council constituted under section 32 ;
16. (16) “Government” means the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir ;
17. (17) “Green Field University” means starting of a university afresh without any consideration to any existing educational institutions or anything related to such institutions ;
18. (18) “Hostel” means a unit of residence for students of a Private University maintained or recognized by the Private University ;
19. (19) “ICAR” means the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 ;
20. (20) “Institution” means a college or an institution established or maintained by or associated with or constituent to a Private University in accordance with this Act and the Statutes ;
21. (21) “Lieutenant Governor” means the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir ;
22. (22) “Management Committee” means the committee prescribed by the Government under the rules ;
23. (23) “Multidisciplinary” means study in the Departments of Humanities and Social Sciences, Science, Engineering and Technology, Architecture, Medical, Dental, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Allied Health Sciences, Education, Law, Agriculture, Veterinary and other branches of knowledge ;
24. (24) “NCTE” means the National Council for Teacher Education established under the National Council for Teacher Education Act, 1993 ;
25. (25) “NMC” means the National Medical Commission constituted under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 ;
26. (26) “Notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir ;
27. (27) “Off-campus Centre” means a centre of a Private University established by it, outside the main campus within the Union Territory, with the prior approval of the University Grants Commission ;
28. (28) “Ordinances” means the Ordinances of a Private University made under this Act ;
29. (29) “PCI” means Pharmacy Council of India constituted under section 4 of the Pharmacy Act, 1948 ;
30. (30) “Prescribed” means prescribed by Statutes and Ordinances ;
31. (31) “Private University” means a University established under section 8 ;
32. (32) “Project Report” means the detailed project report submitted by the sponsoring body for the establishment of a Private University ;
33. (33) “Registrar”, “Controller of Examinations”, “Finance Officer” means, respectively, the Registrar, the Controller of Examinations and the Finance Officer of a Private University ;
34. (34) “Regulations” means the regulations made by a Private University under this Act ;
35. (35) “Regulatory Authority” means the Jammu and Kashmir Private Universities Regulatory Authority established under this Act ;
36. (36) “Regulatory Body” means and includes a body such as UGC, AICTE, CTE, NMC, PCI, ICAR, BCI established for maintenance of standards of higher education ;
37. (37) “Rules” means rules made under section 75 of this Act ;
38. (38) “Section” means section of this Act ;
39. (39) “Schedule” means the Schedule appended to this Act ;
40. (40) “Sponsoring body” means :—
    • (a) A Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or any corresponding law for the time being in force ; or
    • (b) A Public Trust registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 or any corresponding law for the time being in force ; or
    • (c) a company registered under section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 ; which proposes to establish a Private University under this Act ;
41. (41) “Statutes” and “Ordinances” means respectively, the statutes and the ordinances of a Private University ;
42. (42) “Student" means any person enrolled in a private university for any course of study for a degree, diploma or certificate ;
43. (43) “Teacher” means a person who imparts education in a Private University and includes a Professor, an Associate Professor, an Assistant Professor, or any other person teaching therein ;
44. (44) “UGC” means the University Grants Commission established under Section 4 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.