How to Set Up a Private Skills University in Maharashtra
A sourced 2026 guide to establishing a greenfield, self-financed skills university in Maharashtra under the Maharashtra Private Skills Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2024. This page covers the legal route, promoter eligibility, statutory requirements, the UGC and NCVET recognition pathway, and the skills universities already operating in the state.
Maharashtra has built a dedicated legal framework for skills-focused higher education. A greenfield promoter no longer needs a separate, individually negotiated act of the state legislature for each institution. The state now offers an omnibus route through the Maharashtra Private Skills Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2024 (Maharashtra Act No. XXXV of 2024), which received the Governor's assent and was published in the Maharashtra Government Gazette on 7 August 2024 and was brought into force on 9 October 2024.
This is the correct vehicle for a self-financed, industry-linked, competency-based university that awards degrees, diplomas, and certificates aligned to the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF). It sits alongside, but is distinct from, the general private university route under the Maharashtra Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2023. Below, we set out what the law actually requires, what it deliberately leaves to a Government order, and the precedents already operating in the state, so that promoters can plan with sourced facts rather than assumptions.
A note on the route for greenfield promoters. A new, purpose-built skills institution is best established as a state private skills university under the 2024 Act. The Deemed-to-be University route under Section 3 of the UGC Act is generally available only to existing institutions with a multi-year track record, and is not a practical path for a greenfield project. For a comparison of the deemed route, see our note on the Deemed University (Distinct Category) pathway.
Two State Routes: Skills University vs General Private University
Maharashtra runs two parallel self-financed university statutes. A skills-anchored institution belongs under the 2024 Skills Universities Act; a conventional multi-disciplinary university belongs under the 2023 Private Universities Act.
| Dimension | Private Skills University | General Private University |
|---|---|---|
| Governing statute | Maharashtra Private Skills Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2024 (Maharashtra Act No. XXXV of 2024), in force 9 October 2024. | Maharashtra Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2023 (Maharashtra Act No. VIII of 2024), assented 19 January 2024. |
| Core mandate | Vocational, technical, and skills-based education aligned to the National Skills Qualifications Framework, with strong industry linkage. | Conventional multi-disciplinary higher education across the arts, sciences, professions, and research. |
| Award powers | Degrees, post-graduate degrees, Doctorate of Philosophy and research degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic distinctions. | Degrees, post-graduate degrees, doctoral and research degrees, diplomas, and certificates across disciplines. |
| Funding model | Self-financed. No financial assistance of any nature from the State Government; students cannot claim State scholarships or fee reimbursement. | Self-financed. Established and run on private capital, fees, and endowment, without recurring State grants. |
| Establishment route | Omnibus framework: new skills universities are established under the single 2024 Act. The earlier model of a separate standalone act per university has been consolidated. | Omnibus framework: the 2023 Act consolidated the earlier individual standalone private-university acts into one statute. |
| Best fit for | A greenfield, industry-partnered institution focused on employability, applied programmes, and skilling at scale. | A broad, research-oriented or liberal multi-disciplinary university. |
On the older framework. Before these omnibus acts, Maharashtra created each private university, including each skills university, through its own dedicated act of the state legislature. The 2023 and 2024 acts consolidated that approach: their respective repeal-and-savings provisions repealed the earlier individual standalone university acts. New promoters should therefore work within the 2024 omnibus Skills Universities Act rather than seek a fresh standalone act.
Promoter and Sponsoring Body Eligibility
The Act requires a not-for-profit sponsoring body. A greenfield promoter establishes or uses one of three eligible legal vehicles.
Registered Society
A society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, with educational objects.
Public Trust
A public trust registered under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950.
Section 8 Company
A not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 (formerly Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956).
Greenfield Friendly
No prior institution or multi-year track record is required, which makes this route suitable for first-time, greenfield promoters.
What the 2024 Act Requires
The Act sets the framework and obligations. Notably, it defers the specific land, built-up area, and endowment figures to a Government order rather than fixing them in the statute itself.
Endowment Fund
The sponsoring body must create a permanent statutory Endowment Fund for the university. The fund acts as a security deposit and must be invested as a fixed deposit in a Nationalized Bank, with the Director, Directorate of Vocational Education and Training as joint holder.
- Amount: the Act specifies that the amount is to be fixed by a Government order, not in the statute. Confirm the current figure from the applicable Government order or rules before planning capital.
- Purpose: it stands as a financial guarantee of the institution's continuity and obligations.
Land and Built-up Space
The sponsoring body must own and possess land, evidenced by title deeds, and must construct covered space for the university.
- Minimum land: as per the norms specified by a Government order under the Act.
- Covered space: built-up area as per the norms specified by a Government order.
- Plan with care: because these thresholds live in a Government order rather than the Act, they should be confirmed against the current order before site acquisition.
Self-Financed Model
A university established under the Act is self-financed. It is not entitled to any financial assistance of any nature from the State Government, and students admitted to it cannot claim financial assistance, scholarship, or fee reimbursement from the State Government.
- Implication: the financial model must stand on fees, private capital, and endowment income.
Award and Academic Powers
The Act empowers the university to institute and confer its qualifications.
- Qualifications: degrees, post-graduate degrees, Doctorate of Philosophy and research degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other academic distinctions.
- Orientation: programmes are designed for skilling and employability, anchored in competency-based outcomes.
Why the deferred figures matter. Commentary and older reporting sometimes quote specific land areas and a fixed corpus amount for Maharashtra skills universities. Those figures are not set in the 2024 Act itself; the Act delegates them to a Government order. We therefore recommend confirming land, built-up area, and endowment thresholds against the current Government order or rules, and we track those instruments as part of every engagement.
The UGC and NCVET Recognition Pathway
A skills university established by a state act is degree-eligible and listed by the UGC; its vocational qualifications align to the national skills framework.
UGC Recognition
- Degree power (Section 22): under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, only a university established by or under a Central, Provincial, or State Act, a Section 3 deemed university, or an institution empowered by an Act of Parliament may confer degrees. A skills university established under the Maharashtra 2024 Act is therefore degree-eligible.
- Listing (Section 2(f)): a university established by a State Act is eligible for inclusion in the UGC's maintained list of universities under Section 2(f). This listing follows a UGC process rather than being automatic.
Skills Regulation: NCVET and NSQF
- NCVET: the National Council for Vocational Education and Training is the national regulator for vocational education and training. It recognizes and regulates awarding bodies, assessment agencies, and skill information providers, and administers the national skills framework.
- NSQF: the National Skills Qualifications Framework is an outcome and competency-based framework (notified in 2013 and revised in 2023) to which skills university programmes are aligned. It is organized by levels of knowledge, skill, and responsibility.
The Establishment Process, Step by Step
An indicative sequence for a greenfield skills university under the 2024 Act. Exact particulars and timelines follow the Act and the applicable Government order or rules, which we confirm at the outset of an engagement.
Constitute the sponsoring body
Establish or use an eligible sponsoring body: a registered society, a public trust, or a Section 8 company with educational objects.
Secure land and plan covered space
Acquire and hold clear title to land, and plan the covered built-up area to the norms in the applicable Government order under the Act.
Commission the feasibility study and Detailed Project Report
Prepare the vision, an NSQF-aligned academic plan, the governance structure, an infrastructure master plan, and a self-financed financial model that lenders and the State can scrutinize.
Submit the application to the State Government
File the application with title deeds, the project report, and the particulars prescribed under the Act.
State scrutiny and assessment
Respond to the State's scrutiny and expert assessment of the proposal, the infrastructure plan, financial capacity, and academic readiness.
Establishment under the Act
On approval, the university is established under the 2024 omnibus framework and notified by the State Government.
Constitute the Endowment Fund
Create the permanent Endowment Fund as a fixed deposit in a Nationalized Bank, with the Director, Directorate of Vocational Education and Training as joint holder, in the amount specified by the Government order.
Obtain recognition and align programmes
Secure inclusion in the UGC list under Section 2(f), and align programmes to the National Skills Qualifications Framework and NCVET norms.
Establish governance and commence operations
Constitute the statutory governance bodies, recruit faculty, and commence academic operations.
Skills Universities Already Operating in Maharashtra
Maharashtra already hosts established skills universities, each created under state legislation. These precedents show the model is proven and the path is navigable.
Symbiosis Skills and Professional University
Established by Maharashtra state legislation in 2017 (originally as Symbiosis Skills and Open University, renamed in 2020). Located at Kiwale, Pune, on an approximately 15-acre campus. Widely described as Maharashtra's first skill-development university.
Atlas SkillTech University
Established under Maharashtra Act No. XV of 2021, located off the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Kurla West, Mumbai. Programmes span design, management, technology, and law. Holds NAAC 'A' grade accreditation.
Universal SkillTech University
Established by the Universal SkillTech University, Vasai Act, 2023 (gazetted as Maharashtra Act No. XIV of 2024), sponsored by the Vidya Vikas Education Trust. A self-financed skills university located at Vasai.
Reliance Foundation University
A general, multi-disciplinary private university (not a skills university), planned over approximately 410 acres at Dronagiri near Navi Mumbai, state-approved as a private university and announced in June 2026. Included here only to show the scale of private university investment in the state.
What the DPR for a Skills University Must Cover
The application and the financing both stand or fall on the project report. A bankable, regulator-ready Detailed Project Report (DPR) for a skills university covers the following.
- Regulatory roadmap: the 2024 Skills Universities Act requirements, the current Government order thresholds for land, built-up area, and endowment, and the UGC Section 2(f) and NCVET recognition pathway.
- NSQF-aligned academic architecture: a programme portfolio mapped to skills framework levels, with clear progression from certificate to diploma to degree, and industry-validated curricula.
- Industry linkage model: employer partnerships, apprenticeship and on-the-job training design, and placement pathways that anchor an employability-first institution.
- Infrastructure master plan: a phase-wise campus plan with workshops, labs, and skilling infrastructure designed to the applicable norms.
- Governance framework: the statutory bodies, the sponsoring-body structure, and the Endowment Fund mechanism.
- Self-financed financial model: a multi-year model built on fees, private capital, and endowment income, with student ramp-up, faculty ratios, capex phasing, debt servicing, and scenario analysis, structured for banks and trust boards.
- Risk and compliance register: a clear view of the deferred-to-order figures, approval dependencies, and the mitigations that keep the project on schedule.
Planning a Skills University in Maharashtra?
RAYSolute prepares feasibility studies and bankable, regulator-ready Detailed Project Reports for skills universities and private universities. Let us map your route under the 2024 Act, confirm the current Government order thresholds, and build the project report your board and your bank will trust.
Or call +91-98913-21279
Skills University in Maharashtra: Common Questions
How This Page Is Sourced
The regulatory statements on this page are grounded in primary legislation and official regulators. Figures deferred by the Act to a Government order are flagged as such rather than stated as fixed numbers.
- The Maharashtra Private Skills Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2024 (Maharashtra Act No. XXXV of 2024), gazette text via PRS Legislative Research. prsindia.org
- The Maharashtra Private Universities (Establishment and Regulation) Act, 2023 (Maharashtra Act No. VIII of 2024), gazette text via PRS Legislative Research. prsindia.org
- The Universal SkillTech University, Vasai Act, 2023 (Maharashtra Act No. XIV of 2024), gazette text via PRS Legislative Research. prsindia.org
- University Grants Commission Act, 1956, Sections 2(f) and 22 (definition of University, and the right to confer degrees). University Grants Commission. ugc.gov.in
- National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET) and the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF), official portal. ncvet.gov.in
- Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune, institutional profile. sspu.ac.in
- Atlas SkillTech University, Mumbai, institutional profile. atlasuniversity.edu.in
Verification note. Specific land, built-up area, and endowment figures are set by Government order under the Act, not by the Act itself, and can change. Treat them as items to confirm against the current order before committing capital. This page is a general guide and is not legal advice; we confirm the live position for each engagement.
