Raipur: The Chattisgarh government, after its 17 institutions failed to fulfill the conditions laid down for setting up of private universities, has canceled Letters of Intent to all of these institutions even as the final verdict on the deemed university row is yet to be pronounced.

Only two private universities, which had earlier opened the floodgates for such institutions, remain as functional institutions in the state.

"Having failed to fulfill the criteria under the Chhattisgarh Private Universities (Establishment and Operation) Act, 2005, the Letter of Intent has been withdrawn for all the 17 proposed private institutions," said a spokesman of the state Higher Education Department.

The proposed private universities for which the state had issued Letters of Intent are: Rai University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh University, Durg, Gurukul University, Alenjo University, Korba, ITM University, Modi International University, Durg, Acharya Aryabhat University, Luthern University, Baikuntpur, Vishwabharati University, Konta(Bastar),Commercial University, Simgha, Disha University Raipur, Korba University, Inspire University Bilaspur, Sri Shankaracharya Professional University, Bhilai, G H Raisoni International University, Raipur, Amity University, Raipur and Innovative Professional Studies University, Durg .

Failing to comply with the conditions set up by the Chhattisgarh Private Universities Regulatory Commission, a body set up to administer the functioning of private varsities recommended cancellation of Letters of Intent also on the context that a proposed varsity within the municipal limits of Raipur should have 15 acres of land and those outside must have 25 acres of land.

The cancellation has more reasons as it does not fulfill the Private University Act which stipulates that after obtaining Letters of Intent, the proposed universities should establish and start functioning within six months.

And since most of them could not do so in the given time limit, they are now facing the music of cancellation.

According to the sources, "The Commission has recommended amendments to increase this period to two years, after it was felt that this six-month period is too short for a university to develop infrastructure and start functioning."

"Dr C V Raman University at Kota in Bilaspur and MATS University in Raipur are the only two universities which have fulfilled the criteria of plying private universities in Chhattisgarh," said Private University Regulatory Commission secretary Prof B R Chandrakar.

He further added that, "There are two more private universities in the process of settlement. The Assembly has already passed Kalinga University and ICFAI University Bills which are awaiting Governor's assent."

112 private universities mushroomed in the state within a year, after the then Ajit Jogi government formulated the Chhattisgarh Private Sector Universities Act, 2002, which stood null and void after the Supreme Court’s declaration.

These varsities have failed to fulfill conditions under the law. Hence, the Letters of Intent issued to them have been canceled, says an official spokesperson.