UGC Model College bone of contention between Nagpur University & Gondwana University

Even as the Nagpur University cleared files and accounts of Gondwana University (GU) after a long delay, there are still many disputes between officials of both universities.

The biggest impasse is on NU's 10-acre land in Gadchiroli that was allotted for its sub-centre by the Maharashtra government and which was later given to GU for starting operations.

NU officials didn't want to hand over the prime piece of land as they wanted to construct the Model College that was allotted to it by the UGC. On the other hand, GU officials say that the government's gazette notification (first reported by TOI on December 14) makes it clear that all assets of the sub-centre should be handed over to them. NU officials have protested and sent a strongly worded letter to the government.

"We have asked the government not to hand over the land for the time being as it would be required by NU for the development of the Model College," said NU registrar Mahesh Yenkie, insisting that there was no dispute with the GU officials.

"Since UGC had granted its Model College to us, we want to construct an administrative block, hostels, library and other facilities for it. Without land it's not possible. The existing land is more than sufficient for the college. On the contrary, GU requires huge tracts of land for their operations," he said.

Yenkie termed GU officials carrying out development in the sub-centre area without permission from NU "highly unfortunate". "They should have waited for some time. It was a premature step as we had handed over the sub-centre in good faith," he lamented.

He pointed out that Model College could not be transferred to the GU as it is yet to get recognition from the UGC.

GU officials, on condition of anonymity, took strong objection on NU's stand. They blamed NU officials for deliberately delaying the process of handing over files and accounts of 177 colleges that would eventually be transferred to it.

They reminded that NU had got the Model College on the basis of Gadchiroli being a backward district. "Even during the meeting with state higher education director PR Gaikwad on February 22 in Pune, he had categorically told NU deputy registrar Anil Hirekhan to hand over the entire assets of sub-centre to GU. The NU official was told to convey director's message to vice chancellor and registrar," GU officials said.

GU officials added that Gaikwad told NU that alternate land would be provided to them for their Model College in Gadchiroli. "Since the NU has to transfer the Model College to us in the coming days, why are they making a hullabaloo now," the officials asked.