RTI query opens fresh can of worms in NU
An RTI query into the affairs of Nagpur University has opened up a fresh can
of worms.
A complaint filed with the Sitabuldi police against the vice chancellor, top university bosses and its governing bodies, alleges flouting of norms in allowing students of 95 first-time affiliated colleges
to appear in the examination without completing the mandatory 180 days of teaching in an academic calendar.
The complaint alleged that the university authorities as well as the Board of Studies flouted norms of Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994 by permitting students of 40 colleges getting affiliation in 2006-07 and 45 colleges getting affiliation in 2007-08 to take the exams.
According to Section 82(5) of the MU Act, state government should communicate about the permission granted to new colleges to respective universities before July 15 of an academic year. Interestingly, the 95 colleges in question received affiliation as late as December and yet the students were allowed to take the examination during March-May.
Ironically, many of these institutions admitted students even before getting university affiliation and therefore college authorities are believed to have exerted pressure on university officials to allow their students to sit in the practical and theory examinations. This is in violation of Section 83(6) of the MU Act which states: No student shall be admitted by the any college unless the first time affiliation is granted by the university. Many of these colleges belong to local politicians, education barons and prominent businessmen of the city, the complaint said.
The RTI query also revealed that office of the controller of examination (CoE) had initially refused to accept contentions of these 95 colleges as they failed to meet the stipulated norms. But, the college managements and local politicians allegedly pressurised the university bosses to grant affiliation. Interestingly many people from management of these colleges were also on the Board of studies (BoS) - the body which has the final say in granting affiliation.
However, not only the VC, but also BoS, cleared students of these 95 colleges to appear in exam on the basis of an undertaking that "they will complete the syllabus as prescribed by the university in the remaining period at least 15 days before the commencement of the examinations". They were asked to do this by engaging classes on all holidays as well as by conducting extra classes to compensate deficiencies. In such a short duration, it is practically impossible to teach the entire course syllabus and hence the students as such should not be allowed to take the examination, sources said.
The Sitabuldi police approached VC Dr S N Pathan with a copy of the complaint on Thursday.
of worms.
A complaint filed with the Sitabuldi police against the vice chancellor, top university bosses and its governing bodies, alleges flouting of norms in allowing students of 95 first-time affiliated colleges
to appear in the examination without completing the mandatory 180 days of teaching in an academic calendar.
The complaint alleged that the university authorities as well as the Board of Studies flouted norms of Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994 by permitting students of 40 colleges getting affiliation in 2006-07 and 45 colleges getting affiliation in 2007-08 to take the exams.
According to Section 82(5) of the MU Act, state government should communicate about the permission granted to new colleges to respective universities before July 15 of an academic year. Interestingly, the 95 colleges in question received affiliation as late as December and yet the students were allowed to take the examination during March-May.
Ironically, many of these institutions admitted students even before getting university affiliation and therefore college authorities are believed to have exerted pressure on university officials to allow their students to sit in the practical and theory examinations. This is in violation of Section 83(6) of the MU Act which states: No student shall be admitted by the any college unless the first time affiliation is granted by the university. Many of these colleges belong to local politicians, education barons and prominent businessmen of the city, the complaint said.
The RTI query also revealed that office of the controller of examination (CoE) had initially refused to accept contentions of these 95 colleges as they failed to meet the stipulated norms. But, the college managements and local politicians allegedly pressurised the university bosses to grant affiliation. Interestingly many people from management of these colleges were also on the Board of studies (BoS) - the body which has the final say in granting affiliation.
However, not only the VC, but also BoS, cleared students of these 95 colleges to appear in exam on the basis of an undertaking that "they will complete the syllabus as prescribed by the university in the remaining period at least 15 days before the commencement of the examinations". They were asked to do this by engaging classes on all holidays as well as by conducting extra classes to compensate deficiencies. In such a short duration, it is practically impossible to teach the entire course syllabus and hence the students as such should not be allowed to take the examination, sources said.
The Sitabuldi police approached VC Dr S N Pathan with a copy of the complaint on Thursday.