PUNE: The Maharashtra Public Universities (MPU) Act, 2011, proposed by the state government-appointed Arun Nigavekar committee, came in for some severe criticism by members of the senate of the University of Pune (UoP) on Saturday.
The proposed act comes as a comprehensive rewrite job of the existing Maharashtra Universities (MU) Act, 1994, and will replace it after alegislative bill is expected to be passed during the monsoon session of the state legislature.
A day-long special joint meeting of the UoP senate, the academic council and the management council will be convened in the first half of April to deliberate on the provisions of the MPU Act, UoP's officiating vicechancellor (VC) Sanjay Chahande told the senate members.
Among other things, the MPU Act, 2011, seeks to replace the senates in state universities with a new concept called the Society Partnership Council (SOUL), which will have 45 prominent representatives from different walks of life - half of these will be nominated members.
As such, the overall composition of SOUL will be far less than the 100-odd members strength of the existing senate bodies. It is this provision which has raised the hackles of the UoP senate members, who feel that their very existence as part of a key statutory body of the varsity is at stake.
Adraft of the MPU Act is currently being examined by a multi-member expert panel, headed by former bureaucrat Kumud Bansal. Later, it will be tabled for approval by the State Cabinet. Eventually, the bill will be introduced in the state legislature.
The present MU Act provides for senate as the principal authority for all financial estimates and budgetary appropriations and for providing social feedback to the university on current and future academic programmes.
The feedback task is to be taken care of by members elected from the affiliated colleges and institutions - 18 principals; eight representatives of college managements; 20 teachers; 10 registered graduates; two students' representatives; five post-graduate (PG) teachers; two MLAs and two MLCs, among others.
With the VC as its presiding head, the state directors for higher, technical and medical education, director of students welfare board and seven distinguished personalities nominated by the VC make up for the rest of the senate.
Getting into the senate is seen as a status symbol that drives politicallyinclined academicians as well as individuals from other fields, to pour in money and pull the right strings during the university elections to be part of the senate. Often, concern has been raised over the senates having been reduced to 'pockets of influence', while there has been much criticism about falling standards of debates at senate meetings.
Moving an adjournment motion on the issue, senate member Santosh Dhore said, "The MPU Act needs to be condemned for recommending replacement of senate with the proposed SOUL. We need to convey our strong views against this proposed enactment to the government."
Senior member Gajanan Ekbote seconded the motion while pointing out that the SOUL will be reduced to a toothless body with no decision-making powers on matters relating to budget, statutes and annual reports. "Half of the SOUL members will be nominated people with no independent views," he said. "There will be no representation for principals and institute managements," he added.
Principal Nandakumar Nikam, who was part of the Nigavekar committee, brought to the VC's notice that the issue cannot be decided on the basis of a brief discussion in the senate, but needs a wider deliberation by members from senate as well as academic and management councils.
Dhore withdrew the adjournment motion after the VC declared that the joint meeting proposed by Nikam will be held soon and views of members will be conveyed to the state government.
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