Latest news with #MaharashtraPublicUniversitiesAct
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Governor finally names search panel to select NU VC
Nagpur: After over 10 months, Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan has set up the search panel for the appointment of Nagpur University (NU) vice chancellor. The announcement comes as the NU VC's post has been operating under additional charge for more than a year. The NU Management Council had already named IIT Jodhpur director professor Avinash Agarwal as its nominee to the panel in September last year. The governor's office hasn't disclosed the name of the search panel chairman, though NU sources said a retired professor from a South Indian university is likely to lead the committee. The principal secretary of higher education, or a principal secretary nominated by the govt, will be the third member on the panel. The advertisement for the VC post will now follow, calling for applications from desirable candidates. Once the advertisement is published, it will take at least two months to name the new NU VC as the application period, scrutiny, shortlisting, and interviews will take time. Finally, the panel will recommend five names to the governor, who is the chancellor of public universities. However, the uncertainty over the continuation of deans still persists. Earlier, the chancellor allowed the continuation of the deans beyond April 30, the final cut-off in case of the death of a VC. This was extended till June 15. Now, it remains to be seen whether the deans will get another extension or the posts are allowed to fall vacant in anticipation of the new VC's appointment. The governor's decision follows a series of administrative changes at NU. In March this year, governor Radhakrishnan relieved Gondwana University vice chancellor Prashant Bokare of the additional charge of NU, handing over the responsibility to additional divisional commissioner Madhavi Khode Chavre. This move raised questions about the sudden removal of Bokare, who served eight months in the role. Bokare had first held the NU VC position from March 11 to April 11 last year after the suspension of then-VC Subhash Chaudhari. He was reinstated in July 2024 following Chaudhari's second suspension, and continued after Chaudhari's demise in September 2024. Under the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, the additional charge of a VC can be held for up to one year. For the first time since 2014, a bureaucrat was assigned the VC role at NU, after then divisional commissioner Anup Kumar held the position following the termination of VC Vilas Sapkal.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Relief for students as NAAC deadline pushed
Mumbai: In a consequential reversal, one that will make several colleges and students breathe a sigh of relief, the state govt has rolled back its earlier decision to bar admissions to hundreds of degree colleges that failed to comply with NAAC mandates, granting them a 6-month reprieve. These institutions—deemed ineligible either for not applying for accreditation to NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) or for failing to constitute their statutory College Development Committees—were struck off the central admission portal, triggering widespread concern among students and educators alike. But now, they're back in the fold. Admissions to these colleges will resume, with their names reinstated on the portal—a decision higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil described as one made "in the academic interest of students, to avoid disruption," and to give colleges a fair window for compliance. In Mumbai alone, 156 colleges faced exclusion for non-accreditation and another 73 for not forming CDCs, a structural requirement under Maharashtra Public Universities Act. Yuva Sena senate members said they too asked the govt to lift the admission ban on these 229 colleges. Many principals said since July 1, 2024, NAAC stopped accepting new applications, citing back-end changes necessitated by roll-out of a new binary accreditation model, with graded, maturity-based tiers. —Hemali Chhapia
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
No first year admissions for 229 colleges in 2025-26
MUMBAI: A day after the University of Mumbai (MU) announced the schedule for first-year degree college admissions, it has debarred 229 colleges from admitting students for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. The colleges have been debarred as they have not completed the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation, or the re-accreditation process, while some of them do not have a College Development Committee (CDC). Mumbai University Representative pic (HT Archives) In a recent meeting of the Management Council (MC), the apex body of the university, it was decided that a fine of ₹ 10,000 would be imposed on colleges that have not completed the NAAC accreditation process and do not have CDC. HT reported this on April 9. Despite notices from the university, 156 colleges failed to complete NAAC accreditation or re-accreditation, and 73 colleges failed to appoint a CDC. The university on Wednesday declared the names of these colleges on its official website. In a statement, it said it had taken action under section 110 (4) and section 97 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act (MPUA), 2016. Most of the colleges in the list are unaided institutions and are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Under Section 97 of the MPUA, it is mandatory to establish a CDC in every affiliated college, autonomous, authorised college and recognised institution. The committee is tasked with preparing development plans, setting academic calendars and budgets, and addressing issues ranging from the introduction of new courses to campus safety. Similarly, according to Section 110 (4) of the MPUA, it is mandatory for every affiliated college to fulfill the necessary requirements of NAAC accreditation or re-accreditation. 'NAAC assessment, aligned with the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, plays a vital role in ensuring quality in higher education. However, many colleges have yet to undergo NAAC assessment,' according to a senior university official. Over the last two years, both the state higher and technical education department and the university have been striving to complete the accreditation process. In September 2023, the state government set March 2024 as the deadline for all colleges across Maharashtra to complete the process. To expedite the applications, the government also launched the 'Paris Sparsh' scheme.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No NAAC tag, devpt panel? No admissions: MU to 229 colleges
Mumbai: As many as 229 colleges affiliated with Mumbai University (MU), including a few law, BEd, and management institutes in the city, were debarred from admitting students in their first year from the academic session 2025-26 as they did not get accredited or re-accredited or failed to set up the college development committees (CDCs). A fine of Rs 10,000 each was also imposed on the list, which also includes a govt college from Ratnagiri, was put out on the university's portal, asking students, parents, and other stakeholders to take note of the debarment. The university initiated the action against the colleges following multiple reminders and to degree colleges are set to commence Thursday. A university official said these 229 colleges were removed from the selection list in the pre-admission enrollment form on the university portal, which is a prerequisite for the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020, state govt has been pushing for accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for colleges and from the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) for technical courses since 2022, to raise the quality of education.A statement issued by MU mentioned that circulars, notices, and reminders were sent to all these affiliated colleges from time to time, asking them to fulfill the necessary requirements. Of the total 229 colleges, 156 failed to meet the NAAC/NBA requirements, and 73 did not constitute the CDCs as prescribed by the university. There could be some colleges that do not have both. In a recent management council meeting, MU took serious cognisance of the matter and decided to initiate action under sections 110 (4) and 97 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016. Section 110 (4) allows universities to deny affiliation to colleges that fail to comply with the requirements of accreditation, whereas section 97 makes it mandatory for all affiliated, autonomous colleges to set up a of the leading aided law colleges in the city that have not completed NAAC requirements are on the debarred list. A principal said they were given notice, but MU is rushing into taking such harsh decisions. "Law colleges are being managed by fewer staff and therefore there was a we are ready with all our documentation now, the NAAC portal has shut down as it is transitioning to the new binary method. It is not our fault, and the university cannot take such a step against us. We will make an appeal to the university, and if nothing works, we may have to seek legal recourse," said the principal.
