The Nagpur University authorities are once again meeting after gap of over two months to discuss a range of issues on Saturday. However, like every meeting, this time too they have chosen not to address issued related to students' problems.
The council, the highest decision making body of the eight-decade-old institution, probably finds issues like severe shortage of lecturers and principals in a majority of over 750 affiliated colleges and university departments, lack of necessary facilities and infrastructure in these institutes, lack of implementation of new courses, hefty donations charged by private colleges offering professional courses and lack of hostel facilities etc. quite unimportant. As against this, the members are more interested in discussing proposals like appointment of auditor to certify university's accounts, removal or lecturer from Dayanand Arya Mahavidyalaya, requesting the central and state governments to grant Central university status to the NU, nominating a member on selection panel for choosing a new vice chancellor, appointing and extending services of security guards at all university's premises, prohibiting giving university land on rent or lease and providing overtime to the employees among others.
The resolution of not giving university land on lease was initially moved by former registrar Balraj Aher in March 29 senate meet. According to him, around 11.86 acres of land at Kanhan was given to Khandelwal trust at meager lease amount of Rs 65,000 per year. This area was gifted by Rai Bahadur D Laxmi Narayan to the university in 1930. The university extended its agreement with the trust till 2003 for 10 years and therefore till 2013, the university can't take it back. To prevent such problems Aher had moved this resolution which will come up for discussion during the Saturday meet.
This meet may witness stormy scenes as the discussions over Justice (Retd) W G Charde's report over lecturers' allegations regarding ill-treatment to them at the Rajiv Gandhi College, Sadak Arjuni will also be held. Besides this, Arun Patil's proposal regarding turning the 85-year-old institution into a Central University will also be discussed. Other proposals to be discussed during the meet are: payment for overtime duty by employees, Dr Ved Prakash Mishra's suggestion on introducing new courses in hobby workshop department.
The council will nominate a member of director level on the VC selection panel and forward the nominations to the state government.