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SPPU Senate members complain about updates on passed motions and committee work

Speaking about motions lying dormant for years, senate member Rahul Pakhre said, "Once a motion is passed in the senate it is sent to the concerned authorities.

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Raising the issue on the second day of the senate meeting on Wednesday, members also alleged that updates on the work of committees formed by the university for various purposes were not shared even with the members of the committee.

Multiple members of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) senate complained about a lack of updates about the implementation of motions passed in senate proceedings. Raising the issue on the second day of the senate meeting on Wednesday, members also alleged that updates on the work of committees formed by the university for various purposes were not shared even with the members of the committee.

Advocate Ishani Joshi, a member of the senate, said that she was a part of the committee formed following the ransacking of the premises of Lalit Kala Kendra at Savitribai Phule Pune University in 2024 by BJP youth wing activists over a play they found ‘objectionable’, but had received no updates about it of late.

Speaking about motions lying dormant for years, senate member Rahul Pakhre said, “Once a motion is passed in the senate it is sent to the concerned authorities. But we do not get any updates about this and many proposals stay pending for years and years.” Members demanded a mechanism for them to get updates about the work of these motions and committees.

Senate member Jayant Kakatkar alleged that ‘Action Taken’ reports submitted by the University to Senate members were inadequate and unacceptable. He alleged that in many of these reports, the official reply states that the issue has been forwarded from one department to another, but no real action had been taken. “If there is no action taken but action taken reports are being submitted, this is not acceptable to me.” In reply, Pro-Vice Chancellor Parag Kalkar clarified that Action Taken reports do not mean that proceedings have been completed but only shows the status of action taken as of today.

Senate member Harsh Gaikwad said that “Even if we accept that the action is still going on. There should be some updates or letters about the status of the action. It is a fact that this does not happen.” Advait Bamboli also raised issues with action taken reports submitted to him.

Senate motions

Motions proposed by the Senate Members were only taken up in the second half of the day. A motion introduced by Rahul Pakhre called for the setting up a committee to manage social outreach and Social Media was accepted. The university currently does not operate social media handles. Advait Bamboli’s motion demanding the introduction of a Masters of Fine Arts course in the University was accepted and Vice Chancellor Suresh Gosavi said that the course would be introduced from the next year.

A motion by Professor Harsh Jagzap recommended that rules should be changed to allow Associate Professors to be made Heads of Department. He said that a person holding the post of Assistant Professor had been appointed as Dean, and therefore a similar exception should be made for HOD appointments. In reply, Officiating Registrar Jyoti Bhakare said that legal procedures would have to be checked before such a discretionary measure can be carried out by the Vice Chancellor.

Soham Shah

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. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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