Karnataka Halts New Private PU College Approvals for Three Years
The state aims to address surplus seats and declining enrollment in pre-university education.
By Spark News Desk · · India
The Karnataka government has placed a three-year moratorium on granting permissions for new private pre-university (PU) colleges, effective from 2027–28 to 2029–30. The move comes as the number of I PU seats continues to rise faster than the number of students passing SSLC exams.
Currently, there are 6,398 PU colleges in the state, including 3,726 private institutions. In 2026–27, about 7.72 lakh I PU seats were available, but only 6.54 lakh students passed SSLC exams in 2025–26, leaving around 1.18 lakh seats vacant. Private colleges have grown rapidly, offering training for competitive exams like NEET and JEE, while government PU colleges face declining enrollment despite free education initiatives.
The draft rules inviting objections and suggestions have been published for public feedback. The move is intended to regulate the sector and address the imbalance in PU college capacity and student demand.
Why it matters
The moratorium will affect private PU college operators and students, potentially reducing competition and addressing underutilized infrastructure in the sector.
Sources
- Karnataka places three-year moratorium on permission for new private PU colleges — The Hindu
- ISRO’s GSLV rocket carrying navigation satellite lifts off — The Indian Express
Written by the Spark News Desk with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. See our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.