Rajasthan Ordinance Amends Health Sciences University Act to Allow Government Takeover of Colleges

The Governor of Rajasthan promulgated The Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, on July 26, 2025, which was subsequently published in the Rajasthan Gazette Extraordinary on August 01, 2025. This Ordinance, designated as Ordinance No. 1 of 2025, serves to further amend the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences Act, 2005 (Act No. 1 of 2005). The promulgation of this Ordinance was necessitated by the Rajasthan State Legislative Assembly not being in session, with the Governor being satisfied that circumstances required immediate action, exercising powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 213 of the Constitution of India. The new legislation came into force immediately upon its promulgation.

The Ordinance introduces significant changes to Section 6 of the principal Act. Specifically, it modifies sub-section (2)(b) of Section 6 by inserting the expression "or to be governed by the State Government" after "is required to be self-governing" and before "or to be associated with." This amendment broadens the categories of colleges under the University's purview. More substantially, the Ordinance adds a new sub-section (4) to Section 6, which empowers the State Government to declare any college, whether constituent to or established by the University, as a government college. This declaration would be made through a notification published in the Official Gazette, following consultation with the University. Upon such a declaration, the administrative control of the college, along with all its assets including land, buildings, laboratories, equipment, and books, will vest in the State Government. Furthermore, the officers, teachers, and employees of such colleges will be deemed to be State Government employees, provided they are found suitable through a screening process conducted by a screening committee constituted by the State Government and fulfill the terms and conditions laid down in the notification.

The legislative intent behind this Ordinance is to provide the State Government with a mechanism to assume direct administrative and financial control over colleges associated with the Rajasthan University of Health Sciences. This addresses a potential gap in the earlier statutory framework, which primarily categorized colleges as either self-governing or associated, without a clear provision for their direct governance by the State. The policy rationale appears to be to streamline the administration and potentially improve the standards of health sciences education by bringing certain institutions directly under government management. The amendments introduce new obligations and rights, particularly for the staff of affected colleges, who would transition to State Government employment after meeting specified criteria. The legislation provided: “Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the State Government may, in consultation with the University, by notification published in the Official Gazette, declare any college, constituent to or established by the University, to be a government college. Upon such declaration, the administrative control of such college and all assets including all land, buildings, laboratories, equipment, books shall vest in the State Government and the officers, teachers and employees of such college(s) after being found suitable through screening by a screening committee constituted by the State Government and on fulfilling such terms and conditions as may be laid down in the notification, shall be deemed to be the officers, teachers, or, as the case may be, employees of the State Government.” This provision outlines the enforcement mechanism for the conversion of colleges and the integration of their personnel into the state apparatus, ensuring a structured transition.

Keywords: Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Amendment Ordinance, Government College, State Government Control, Health Education, Medical Colleges, Rajasthan Legislation, Ordinance 2025, Statutory Amendment

Geo Tags: India, Rajasthan District: Not Applicable