Mumbai univ VC sent on leave, Pro-VC takes charge
Heads have started rolling over the exam results delay fiasco at Mumbai University (MU). Sources told Free Press
Journal that Vice-Chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh has been told to go on leave. It is likely that he will put in his papers as the authorities have zeroed in on Dr D.B. Shinde, now the VC of Shivaji University at Kolhapur, as Deshmukh’s successor.
Governor Vidyasagar Rao, who is also the Chancellor of MU, on Wednesday appointed Prof Dhiren Patel, Director of Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) as the acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University. Patel has been specifically appointed to ensure that the pending results are declared as soon as possible.
The Pro-VC’s post has been lying vacant for a very long time. Bhalchandra Mungekar, former VC of MU, told Free Press Journal, “If the government would have appointed a Pro-VC earlier, this mess could have been avoided.”
This move comes to end the mess at Mumbai University over declaration of results. Out of the 477 examinations conducted this year, results of 300 were declared till Wednesday night while 177 results are pending. The delay is largely due to the online checking system that the present VC introduced with much preparation.
There have been protests by students, teachers and members of political parties over the issue. All have blamed Deshmukh for the mess.
The MU has already missed two deadlines – July 31 and August 5 – for publishing results. Over 2 lakh answer-scripts are still to be assessed. “The new Pro-VC should call a meeting of senior principals of various colleges and institutions and consult them on the issues facing MU. Ensuring that the answer-scripts are properly checked is far more important than declaring results in haste,” Mungekar said.