The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Centre and States to be honest about private universities. It said it would not start a “witch-hunt” or scold them like a “headmaster” if they were truthful. A Bench led by Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah criticized the Union government for not filing an affidavit personally affirmed by the Union Cabinet Secretary as ordered in November 2025. The court had required affidavits from the Union Cabinet Secretary and Chief Secretaries of States about laws and facts related to private, non-government, and deemed universities. “There shall not be any delegation of such filings. Further, responsibility for every disclosure and its correctness shall rest with the deponents concerned,” the court had said. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the affidavit was affirmed by the Higher Education Secretary, not the Cabinet Secretary, citing the “working hierarchy.” Justice Amanullah expressed surprise over this. The court issued notices to the Chief Secretaries of States asking why action should not be taken against them for failing to affirm affidavits personally and for not ensuring legal representation. States that filed incomplete information can submit additional affidavits. The next hearing is scheduled for January 28. Justice Amanullah said many petitions with evidence had arrived, stressing the need for honest disclosure to protect the country’s future. “We will not act as a headmaster admonishing the State, provided you win our trust and are honest with us. We will not go on a witch-hunt, provided you are truthful to the court,” he said. Mr. Mehta agreed that “education should not be an industry.” The court took up the case after a petition by student Ayesha Jain against Amity University, which she accused of harassment over changing her first name on university records.