New Delhi, Sept. 18 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday said private universities must serve the larger public purpose of education and not operate for profit, directing states and Union territories to submit audited accounts detailing their surplus income, expenditure, fee collection and employee salaries, along with information on admissions, recruitment and teaching standards in six weeks.

The bench of justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria said, "It is for the public at large that the system operates, especially in matters concerning education. We make it clear that no private university shall be run as a profit-making institution. It must serve the larger public purpose of education," as it issued a slew of directions for the sta...