Mumbai, Dec 19 (TOI): As the bill to amend the Maharashtra Unaided Private Professional Education Institutions (Regulation of Admission Fees) Act was not passed in the legislative council, the state government is considering the ordinance route to bring deemed universities under its ambit.

Minister of higher and technical education Vinod Tawde told TOI an ordinance would be issued if the bill is not passed even in the budget session. "We are confident that the bill will be passed in the legislative council during the budget session in March. If not, the state will have the option of issuing an ordinance. We have decided to bring admissions to deemed universities under the state's purview from the next academic year," he said, adding: "We are not against all deemed universities but there should be some check on the malpractices that are rampant in some institutes. We will discuss the issue with the management of deemed universities too and seek their suggestions."

The council has a Congress-NCP majority and many deemed universities are owned by leaders of the two parties, a government official said explaining why the bill was not passed in the Upper House on Saturday. "The bill is unlikely to get approval from there soon as most deemed institutes are run by their ministers. It will have to be tabled again in the March session. There is no guarantee that it will be passed in the March session too. It appears difficult for the state to implement the Act at least in the coming academic session," said an official.

However, an official pointed out that deemed universities are governed by the UGC Act. "To issue an ordinance that clashes with a central Act, the state will have to seek the President's assent," the official said adding that there is also the possibility of the high court striking down the state's authority to regulate deemed universities when the matter is pending in court.