MU body unsure if pvt firm can aid better ranking

There should be capacity-building and MU should itself come up with an improvement plan. COUNCIL MEMBER

MUMBAI:THE state’s plan to rope in a Chennai-based private firm to improve the position of the University of Mumbai (MU) and its affiliated college has hit a roadblock. In a meeting which culminated on Friday, the MU management council , which is responsible for administrative decisions, referred a proposal to use the services of a private firm, Centre for Academic Rankings and Excellence (icare) for improving its rank, back to the university, three members of the council revealed. Several members of the council expressed scepticism over the usefulness of employing a consulting firm to enhance rankings

“The proposal was referred back and we sought more details about it,” said one of the members. Members said vice-chancellor Suhas Pednekar plans to give a presentation about the role of icare in the council’s next meeting. “We will still oppose it,” said another member.

In October, the state had roped in icare for ₹30 lakh to improve rankings of the 13 non-agriculture universities and 100 colleges affiliated to them as most universities and colleges in the state held poor rankings in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and elsewhere. A council member said MU needs to introspect itself, instead of seeking external services. “The university is in such a bad shape that no one can help it. It should figure out where it’s lacking,” he said.

An MU official said, “A decision is yet to be taken about the proposal.”

Karthik Sridhar, vice president, icare, did not respond to calls or messages.