Mumbai fiasco a wake up call for Nagpur University

Mumbai fiasco a wake up call for Nagpur University

The exam paper leak at Mumbai University and subsequent events are a wake up call for the Nagpur University which is battling with a host of problems. After MU's debacle, academicians and politicians are calling for vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar's head. Even chancellor summoned the beleaguered VC and asked him to fill up all vacant posts including that of registrar, controller of examinations and pro-VC immediately.

NU, in fact, is facing much bigger problems. Not only its three statutory posts but also a majority of teaching and non-teaching posts in its 40 departments are vacant. Even after spending Rs 2 lakh on two advertisements and rounds of interviews, NU failed to find a "suitable" registrar since Subhash Belsare retired three years ago. TOI had carried a detailed report in this regard on March 25.

NU also opened three new postgraduate departments- molecular biology, genetic engineering and commerce- from current academic year. The UGC, under its 11th five year plan, had sanctioned posts of a reader and two lecturers for all three departments and their salaries would be borne by it for five years. NU had also received UGC sanction to appoint 19 other lecturers. It forwarded those proposals to the government, as after five years, salaries for these 25 lectures is to be borne by the government. The government has failed to respond to the proposals till date and the departments are running with contributory teachers.

Attempts to contact state minister for higher and technical education Rajesh Tope were not successful. PRO with the chancellor's office Umesh Kashikar confirmed that the instructions to fill up vacant posts in MU were given to Welukar but pleaded ignorance about similar condition in other universities including NU. NU Management Council Member Mahendra Nimbarte asked whether administration was waiting for MU like fiasco before acting. "Over 800 posts are vacant in NU. Efforts to fill them have not been made for years citing frivolous reasons," he said.

Taking a dig at administration led by VC Vilas Sapkal, Nimbarte said at least pro-VC's post, which is in VC's hands, should be filled on priority. "Pro-VC would have helped the administration to perform more efficiently. Decentralisation of powers is a must for any organisation. "It is surprising why such an important post could not be filled up," he said.

Though NU had floated advertisement for 119 posts, wrong mention of eligibility criteria resulted in process being stayed by the high court. Newly-appointed PRO of NU Prashant Mohite stated they had already floated advertisement for registrar, CoE and other posts of librarians. "In case of pro-VC, a majority of universities have not appointed them. To my knowledge, VC has dispatched a proposal in this regard to the chancellor's office where it is pending," he said.