MU has list of 7 ‘factors’, but no solutions for delays in exam results

“As a senate member, I asked why these problems are recurring and what solution the university administration is working out. I was shocked with the reply I received. It shows that the university has no plan to resolve the problem,” Bhurke added.

MU registrar Dr M A Khan, however, assured the senate members that measures were being taken for declaring results on time and that the varsity has been successful in doing so to a large extent.

Each year, there have been major delays in declaring the results of exams conducted by MU. As per the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, results must be declared within 30-45 days from the concluding date of the examinations. However, MU has repeatedly failed to declare results on time.

“It is not that we are not doing anything to declare results on time. In fact, this year many results were declared within or before 45 days from the exams conducted. We have provided the reason for the few results that were delayed,” said a senior MU official.

In reply to a question asked by another senate member, Vijay Pawar, the same day, the varsity administration admitted that more than half the colleges affiliated to MU do not have full-time principals. Pawar had asked how many principal posts were lying vacant, to which the varsity administration replied that of the total 707 colleges, 393 colleges do not have full-time principals.

In 2008, Bombay High Court had asked the universities to fill all vacancies. A year later, the state had issued a GR asking colleges to do so by March 31, 2009. But the college managements appealed to the Supreme Court and got an extension until May 31, 2010.

After the extended deadline lapsed, the Supreme Court gave another six-month extension to all colleges in June 2010. However, as per the figures issued by MU in an RTI reply to The Indian Express in 2012, a total of 359 colleges affiliated to MU were functioning without full-time principals, with the figure now rising to 393 colleges.

During the senate meeting, it was also disclosed that MU is considering taking back a seven-acre plot it had given to the All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) in its Vidyanagri Campus in Kalina. The varsity claimed it had received complaints that neither teachers nor students of MU are allowed to play at the tennis court.

Through a contract signed on July 7, 2006, MU had given the plot to AITA after it was approved by the management council. Also, there is also a dispute on who will pay the property tax of the plot, sources said.

The matter came to light after a question was raised by senate member, Pramila Raut, on whether the tennis academy was of any use to MU teachers and students.

The varsity administration replied that it had organised a meeting with AITA officials, following which the matter was discussed at the management council meeting of MU which suggested that the varsity must try to get the contract with AITA terminated through mutual understanding or through legal recourse.

dipti.sonawala@expressindia.com