The Vice Chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Senior Professor K.L. Wasantha Kumara underscored the need to establish a Higher Education Commission to regulate and monitor private universities and other degree-awarding institutions. He explained that such a body would enable the creation of comprehensive data systems and facilitate links with universities worldwide, allowing access to essential information on institutional standards and programme quality. This, he noted, would help ensure accurate decision-making when granting approval to prospective private universities. These comments were further supported by the Additional Secretary (Non-State Higher Education) of the Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training Ministry, and by officials of the UGC.

The Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital examined the operation of private universities and the issues relating to their recognition by the UGC. The matter was discussed when the Committee met in the Parliament on 21 November of this year (2025), under the Chairpersonship of Hesha Withanage. Withanage highlighted the emergence of institutions awarding degrees of inadequate quality and the resulting harm caused. He noted that many such institutions operate with profit-making as their primary objective rather than providing quality education. He stressed the importance of ensuring that the entire process, from student admission to the awarding of degrees, remains under the supervision of the UGC.