The Maharashtra government has formed a three-member committee to conduct an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the appointments of Deputy Registrar (DR) and Assistant Registrar in the Mumbai University between 2009 and 2013, according to a Government Resolution (GR) by the state Higher and Technical Education Department on Monday. Professor RS Mali, former vice-chancellor of North Maharashtra University Jalgaon will head the three-member committee, which has to submit its report within a month on whether the appointments fit the eligibility criteria. A similar probe was earlier conducted by the office of Directorate of Higher Education and a report was submitted. The report pointed out that a number of appointments on these positions during that time did not adhere to the eligibility criteria. “But no action was taken. And a fresh probe is now initiated without providing any clarity on what happened to the report submitted by the earlier committee,” said an official from the university. An official from the higher education department said, “The earlier probe by the DHE was conducted after several complaints of irregularities in these appointments. In May 2023, the DHE also submitted a report. But an in-depth inquiry was under consideration.” The new committee is tasked to individually scrutinise each appointment confirmed on positions of AR and DR between 2009 to 2013. The committee will probe each individual appointed during this time on parameters such as eligibility, academic qualifications, professional experience, age at the time of appointment, among others. It is expected to submit a report on individual appointments. Mumbai University has been tasked to provide its premises for the committee’s meetings, including other administrative and financial arrangements.
