Varsity sets up minority cell

PUNE, May 12: Following a list of demands regarding the hardships minority educational institutions have to face due to the communication ga...

PUNE, May 12: Following a list of demands regarding the hardships minority educational institutions have to face due to the communication gap with the University of Pune authorities, Vice-Chancellor Dr Arun Nigavekar on Tuesday announced the setting up of a minority coordination cell.

Nearly 27 colleges affiliated to the University of Pune who are also members of the Federation of Linguistic and Religious Minorities Educational Institutions felicitated the Vice-Chancellor on his appointment and took the occasion to spell out their list of woes which prominently highlighted the university8217;s indifference in not considering the minority educational institutions8217; requirements for setting up new colleges as per Section 82 of the Maharashtra Universities Act 8217;94.

P A Inamdar, president of the Federation lamented that no statutes had been framed as per Section 5 51 and 7 3 of the Act. Again the statutes regarding service conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff working in religious and linguistic minorities educational institutions apart from admission procedures for students for various courses had not been framed.

The plan of action of 1992 for implementing the National Policy on Education 1986 categorically states that the recognition of the minorities educational institutions be given by the authorities within three months from the date of receipt of such applications. However Inamdar rued that the applications have been pending for several years.

He also lamented that several welfare schemes laid down by the University Grants Commission, Central and State Government for the benefit of the deprived sections of the minorities could not be availed of due to lack of information about them. The varsity should take steps to bring finances from the UGC and the governments to implement these schemes, Inamdar urged.

The V-C assured that the cell would comprise of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Director of Board of College and University Development, Registrar and legal officer among others to address their problems. Among those who attended include principals of various minority educational institutions, A A Jethwani of St. Mira8217;s College for Girls, N S Nikam of Chandmal Tarachand Bora Arts, Science and Commerce college, C P Rodrigues of Vidyabhavan College of Commerce, R M Joshi of Tikaram Jagannath College of Arts and Commerce, Khadki, B S Walve of H V Desai Arts, Science and Commerce college and others.