MUMBAI: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved the establishment of the Somaiya Vidyavihar University, making it the first private varsity with absolute freedom to decide its own fees and curriculum.While the state has about 17 private universities, Somaiya will be Mumbai’s first such selffinanced private university. Most colleges under the group will de-affiliate from Mumbai University—the parent university—once the state issues an official notification.“Most private universities are in Pune. While there are few proposals from Mumbai Metropolitan Region , there are no pending applications from Mumbai,” said a government official.The autonomous university can start operations from 2019-20. The cabinet also approved tabling of a bill in Maharashtra legislature for the formation of the university. K J Somaiya and Somaiya Trust will be its managing body. The varsity will provide skill development and facilities for research.The decision will allow the group’s institutes to de-affiliate from Mumbai University (MU) and give them absolute freedom. “Setting up a private self-financed university will allow them to appoint their own vice-chancellor, academic council, management council and other bodies. Their colleges will form a separate entity under the university and can issue their degrees and certificates, conduct examinations and frame syllabus which could be more employment and market-oriented,” said the official. The university will also be able to decide fees for courses. “Fees of self-financed universities are not under the purview of the Fee Regulation Authority, but the government is seriously thinking of bringing in some regulation,” he added.Once de-affiliated from MU, the colleges attached to the new private university will stop receiving government aid. “The group’s management will have to decide on institutes it will include in the university,” an official said.Somaiya Management members did not comment on the colleges they plan to bring under the varsity. Refusing to divulge details on the plan for the university, Samir Somaiya, president, Somaiya Vidyavihar said, “We are delighted to hear that we have received approvals from the cabinet, government of Maharashtra, of our application for a self-financed university. Once the bill is passed in the legislature, we will be happy to share more information.”Last May, the state government had sent a proposal from Somaiya Group to form a cluster university.

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