Drifting university

And what an enormous task it is. The Nagpur University caters to about 3.5lakh students through its 302 affiliated colleges and 37 post graduateteaching departments PGTDs, spread over five districts of EasternVidarbha. It conducts 535 examinations twice every year. Only four monthsinto his office, the vice-chancellor has more on his plate than he can everhope to chew.

Among the important posts that are lying vacant are those of provice-chancellor, registrar, CoE, four deputy registrars, six assistantregistrars and director, Board of College and University DevelopmentBOCUD. The term of the main decision-making bodies and authorities such asthe Senate, the Academic Council and the Management Council, the Board ofStudies and Faculty has already expired. The university administration wingis thus now practically empty.

The incident leading to this sorry situation unfolded in June last year.Yadav Kohchade, an assistant registrar of NU was caught red-handed by thecity police offering bribe to the police officer investigating the case offake marksheet and revaluation scam involving the university. This incidentopened up a murky cupboard and several skeletons tumbled out.

The NU 8212; in its platinum jubilee year 8212; became embroiled in an uglycontroversy as involvement of several higher officials came to the fore. Inthe month that followed, the incident took quite a toll with the Controllerof Examinations CoE who was also holding the additional charge ofregistrar and other second rung officials being arrested. The thenvice-chancellor, Bhalchandra Chopane, and pro vice-chancellor Yoganand Kaleresigned owing up moral responsibility.

P.C. Alexander, governor and chancellor, rushed to the city in July 1999 andhanded over the administration to J.S. Saharia, divisional commissioner asacting vice-chancellor and Kishore Gajbhiye, another IAS officer as officeron special duty. Temporary postings were made to other vacant key posts.Arun Satputaley took charge as the vice-chancellor on January 14, as thesix-month term of the IAS officials came to an end and he became the soleofficial to have a permanent posting. The posts of registrar and CoE arebeing held additionally by P.S.G. Kumar, head of department of LibrarySciences and Debu Asai, deputy registrar Examinations, respectively.

The worst part of the scene is that there is no immediate respite in sight.The elections to the administrative bodies cannot to be held owing to anordinance of deferment issued by the state government on March 6. Again,unless the management council is constituted, the procedure to fill up thekey posts cannot start as the selection committees for these posts requireto have members nominated by the Management Council. The complete procedureof filling up the posts, initiated by Satputaley, has thus come to astandstill.

The deferment 8212; applicable to all universities in state 8212; would hold untilthe amendments to the Maharashtra University Act is passed by the statecabinet. Even if one is most optimistic about the amendments being passed byend of this month, the election to constitute the bodies/authorities wouldtake at least four months to complete. Only then the process of filling thekey posts could be initiated.

Even Satputaley admits that it would take at least six more months to bringthe university administration back on track. While the handicappedadministration is on all fours trying to mop up the mess 8212; mainly declaringthe very much delayed results of winter 1999 examinations and summer 1999revaluation results 8212; and the summer 2000 exams knocking on the door, theV-C is desperately trying to keep up an optimistic face.

8220;The results of upcoming exams would be declared on time and the nextacademic session would commence as per schedule,8221; he told The IndianExpress. But his dilemma is apparent as he says 8220;I am in urgent need thesebodies and officials, so that I can take proper decisions with collectivewisdom.8221;