Maharashtra: Deadlock at varsities to continue, new Bill referred to panel

The deadlock at public universities in Maharashtra will continue for at least six months as the state Assembly on Tuesday referred the new Maharashtra Public Universities' Bill 2016 to a joint select committee for further consultation.

The committee has been entrusted with the job to study all provisions of the Bill and suggest modifications within six months. The revised Bill would then be tabled again before the legislature in winter session.

The committee will have 21 members from both the Houses of state legislature.

After minister for higher education Vinod Tawde presented the Bill for consideration in the Assembly, former minister and NCP member Dilip Walse-Patil proposed sending it to joint select committee saying that there is a need for discussion on all 151 sections.

Tawde agreed to the demand saying that the government does not want to pass the Bill on the basis of sheer majority and would like to have detailed discussion on the Bill.

The academics, however, expressed concern over further delay in the passage of the Bill which was first tabled in the winter session 2015.

Academics say that delay would badly affect administration of the varsities as all executive bodies have been dissolved last August.

Ad-hoc bodies headed by VCs and Registar would continue to take arbitrary decisions. "There won't be any accountability if results are delayed or a question paper is leaked as all bodies are working on temporary basis," said a professor.

Teachers union welcomed the move calling the Bill a "faulty" one prepared in "haste". "This bill is faulty so we are not unhappy it is being sent for further consultation," said Madhu Paranjape from the teachers' union.