PUNE, May 11 -- The higher technical education department clarified that it has not taken any decision to immediately convert aided colleges into private universities and that an expert committee headed by educationist Bhushan Patwardhan was recently constituted only to prepare a comprehensive policy framework on the issue. The clarification comes after reports published on some platforms on May 8 created confusion and raised concerns regarding a government resolution (GR) issued by the higher and technical education department on April 28. Higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil said, "The primary objective behind forming the committee is to prevent commercialisation and profiteering in the education sector while protecting the interests of students, teachers and non-teaching staff." Patil said that in recent years, some educational institutions appeared to be trying to convert their aided colleges into private universities primarily for profit without adequately considering the welfare of students and employees. He pointed out that several such institutions had been established on government-allotted land, received salary grants from the state for employees, and benefitted from government scholarships and educational concessions provided to students. "The government's stand is that such attempts should not succeed if they compromise student welfare or encourage profiteering," Patil said. He added that the government is already involved in legal battles in some such cases and that there is a realisation during court proceedings that there is currently no specific policy framework to regulate or prevent aided educational institutions from converting themselves into private universities. The committee has therefore been tasked with preparing an appropriate regulatory policy. Patil emphasised that the government has not approved the conversion of any aided institution into a private university. Instead, the committee has been formed to study future educational needs, the direction of the NEP 2020, global competitiveness, and student welfare before recommending any policy framework. Patil stated that the committee has been assigned a broad mandate covering educational quality, research standards, infrastructure, employee protection, fee regulation, reservation policies for backward classes, government grants, service conditions and alignment with the National Education Policy. He further clarified that the state will not compromise on the social, educational or economic interests of students, and reiterated its commitment to social justice, inclusive education and higher education. Patil highlighted reforms implemented in recent years under the NEP 2020, including multidisciplinary education, academic bank of credits, skill-based curricula, digital learning, research promotion and industry-linked education, stating that Maharashtra has emerged as a leading state in several of these areas. Patil appealed to students, parents, teachers and non-teaching staff not to believe incomplete or misleading info and instead rely on the government's official clarification....