Pune: Selection Of Vice-Chancellor Is Now As Per Old Law; Blow To Mahavikas Aghadi
Pune, 1st September 2022: Due to the change of government in the state, the selection process of the vice-chancellors of the universities in the state is likely to accelerate in the next few days. Three months have passed since the period of the Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) ended.
However, due to the immediate government’s insistence on conducting the selection process as per the new law, this process could not be started at that time. During the new government, now the vice-chancellors of three universities in the state will be selected according to the old university act.
The post of Vice-Chancellor of Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik, along with Savitribai Phule Pune University, is vacant. Moreover, the term of the Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University is ending on September 8. Therefore, sources said that the process of selecting the Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University will be started immediately. Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University Vice Chancellor selection process has started. The advertisement for the selection process has been released on Wednesday (August 31).
The selection process for the vice-chancellor of Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik has started. However, the selection process for Savitribai Phule Pune University Vice Chancellor has not started yet. Sources said that in the next few days, the selection process for the Vice Chancellor of Pune University will be started.
A selection committee is appointed for the selection of the Vice-Chancellor as per the provisions of the University Act. The committee consists of dignitaries from the state government, university and education-research sector. The chancellor selects one of the five names recommended by this committee.
The University Act 2016 was amended during the Mahavikas Aghadi government. According to this change, the selection committee was made to send only two names to the chancellor instead of five. Moreover, the higher and technical education minister of the state was given the competent powers of the chancellor. There was a big controversy over this. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed this law. However, the Mahavikas Aghadi government approved this bill which changed the law in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari did not sign this bill. As a result, the hands of the state government were tied as the Bill was not converted into law. The government insisted on conducting the selection process as per the provisions of the amended new law. However, the governor was not ready to sign the bill. Hence, the state government could not do anything. Now the government in the state is changed. The new government will implement the old law and is considering repealing the law made by the coalition government.
