UP government clears proposals for 3 private universities, UK scholarship scheme

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday approved a series of proposals spanning higher education, international scholarships and urban governance reforms, paving the way for new private universities, a Chevening-style UK collaboration, and long-term municipal advertisement regulation.

The decisions of the Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, were announced by Finance Minister Suresh Khanna along with his cabinet colleagues Rakesh Sachan and Yogendra Upadhyay during a press conference here.

According to the decisions, the Cabinet granted an intent letter to Lala Fateh Chand Charitable Trust, Muzaffarnagar, for the establishment of Vedanta University in Muzaffarnagar under the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019. The proposed university will be set up on 23.3349 acres of land in village Hussainpur Bopada, tehsil Khatauli, within the Muzaffarnagar Development Authority limits.

The high-level committee, headed by the chief secretary, had recommended the issuance of the letter of intent in its meeting held on December 19, 2024. In a similar move, the Cabinet also cleared the establishment of KD University in Mathura under the same private universities framework.

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Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019

The approval was based on provisions under the Uttar Pradesh Private Universities Act, 2019, which regulates and facilitates the establishment and incorporation of private universities across the state. The Cabinet further approved the setting up of Bodhisattva University in Barabanki. The sponsoring body, Bodhisattva Charitable Trust, Lucknow, has earmarked 25.31 acres of land in Gadia village, pargana Deva, tehsil Nawabganj of Barabanki district.

A letter of intent had earlier been issued to the trust on February 9, 2024. The Cabinet has now cleared the promulgation of the "Uttar Pradesh Private Universities (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2025" to officially include the new university under the Act and issue it the operational licence.

In a landmark collaboration, the Cabinet gave its approval for launching the "Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee-Chevening Uttar Pradesh Government Scholarship Scheme," in partnership with the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The scheme aims to sponsor five meritorious students from Uttar Pradesh each year to pursue a one-year master's degree in the UK at recognised institutions.

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UP Government's Scholarship Scheme

It will cover tuition, examination and research fees, a living allowance, and one return economy-class airfare. The program will run from academic year 2025-26 through 2027-28. For each selected student, the state government will bear approximately 19,800 pounds (about Rs 23 lakh), while the remaining scholarship amount - ranging between 38,048 pounds and 42,076 pounds per student - will be provided by the FCDO.

In another major decision, the Cabinet approved an amendment to Section 305(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1959, related to permissions and renewal durations for aerial signage and advertisements. The amendment proposes increasing the validity period for advertising licenses from two years to 15 years.

The Cabinet also approved a proposal to reintroduce a bill in the upcoming session of the State Legislature to amend the King George's Medical University (KGMU), Uttar Pradesh Act, 2002.

The amendment seeks to insert Section 24(1)(A), providing for the nomination of one senior-most professor each from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and from the Other Backward Classes to the university's executive council. The nominations will be made by the state government on a rotational basis in consultation with the Vice-Chancellor.