New Delhi: Delhi govt is set to let private universities develop multi-storey “vertical campuses”, doing away with the need for procuring large tracts of land traditionally required to set up higher education institutes.The move, proposed under Delhi Private Universities Bill, 2026, is aimed at enabling universities to establish classrooms, laboratories, libraries and other facilities in high-rise buildings, particularly in land-constrained parts of the capital. Govt will also allow multiple institutes to share playgrounds.This could result in quality higher education institutes coming up in central and south Delhi rather than being pushed towards its outskirts because of land constraints.Education minister Ashish Sood said, “We have space shortage in Delhi. So, this is the way forward. Shared playgrounds will help students develop their potential for extra-curricular activities.”The minister said that the height of these buildings will depend on the floor area ratio (FAR) that govt agencies permit.The newly notified Master Plan for Delhi 2047 pivots the capital away from outward horizontal sprawl towards high-density, compact vertical growth. It lifts traditional height restrictions across most areas, introduces provisions for buildings with over 100 floors as “landmark developments” and implements vertical mixing of residential and commercial spaces along mass-transit corridors.The proposed framework in the Bill will allow universities to share or access facilities through arrangements with public authorities or other institutions, said a senior govt official. Parks, playgrounds, sports complexes, auditoriums, research facilities, libraries, hostels and other support infrastructure can be accessed through memorandums of understanding, licences, leases or other legally enforceable agreements, Sood added.According to the draft, the private universities will not have the power to affiliate or recognise colleges or institutions. However, they can establish constituent colleges, regional centres, additional campuses and study centres, subject to the norms of UGC and other regulatory bodies.The proposed universities are envisaged as multidisciplinary institutes offering diploma, degree, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. The objectives include skill development and employability, research and innovation, flexible and choice-based learning, national integration, social equity and exposure to both local and international perspectives, according to provisions of the Bill.The Bill gives private universities wide-ranging academic and administrative powers, including determining admission standards, prescribing and collecting fees, appointing faculty, instituting fellowships and scholarships, establishing hostels and research centres, and collaborating with other universities and institutions. They will also be able to offer programmes through on-campus, off-campus, satellite centres or distance education, subject to regulatory norms.Departmental observations on the draft have flagged the need for safeguards against “fly-by-night universities” and stressed stronger supervision of academic performance and institutional processes.
