In a major announcement, Vice Chancellor Suresh Gosavi announced that Savitribai Phule Pune University is in plans to launch a School of Undergraduate Studies which will offer specialised BTech and B E engineering courses in thematic subjects like space technology and defense. The announcement was made during the VC’s address at the bi-annual Senate meeting on March 27 .
Primary discussions with the Indian Institute of Space Technology and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop courses in space technology and defense have already been held, said Prof Gosavi while speaking to media persons after the Senate meet. “Our aim is that a unique course of national importance should be offered at the university,” he said. Climate change and molecular medicine design are some other areas the new school could offer degrees in, Gosavi informed.
“Some programmes with national institutes on campus like the National Chemical Laboratory, , National Centre for Cell Science, National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), have already been launched. Discussions regarding the development of undergraduate courses by strengthening these programmes have also taken place,” Prof Gosavi added.
“We will promote some of the courses this year itself. In the Nashik-sub centre, tying up with Hindustan Aeronautical Limited, we intend to start an aeronautical engineering course. A reconfigurable computing course is also intended at Nashik. A course on wine technology due to the wine industry around Nashik is also intended, ” he explained.
In other announcements, SPPU intends to start a Distinguished Visiting Faculty programme through which professors from Asian countries visit SPPU while SPPU professors will visit foreign universities for two to eight weeks. “This move is being made keeping in mind that NIRF ranking and NAAC assessment have parameters for the number of international professors. These will be faculty from top ranked global universities,” he Prof Gosavi said.
The Vice Chancellor added that the Professor of Practice programme at the university will be strengthened by bringing in scientists from top organisations like ISRO, DRDO, and private companies.
Further, under a Department Sustainability Research Grant scheme, SPPU will promote ‘collaborative cutting edge interdisciplinary research’. This scheme will focus on socially relevant areas and high-quality publications, patent and technology development, and external funding mobilisation. “The Maharashtra government has mandated a University Department Ranking Framework under which all departments have to be ranked every year. This scheme will be launched to strengthen these departments.”
In a Senate meeting otherwise marked by disruptions and delays, the Vice Chancellor’s announcements of these schemes and recruitment process was appreciated by many members.
Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting.
Professional Background
Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune.
Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics.
Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories:
1. Investigations & Governance
"Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents.
"44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families.
2. Education & Campus Life
Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University.
"Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial.
"Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers.
3. Human Rights & Social Issues
"Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India.
"'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying.
Signature Style
Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty.
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