Shikshan Prasarak Mandali’s 125-year-old SP College revolves around caste politics and a fierce struggle for the post of the college principal.
The outburst of emotions and pandemonium sparked by the teaching and non-teaching staff at the Shikshan Prasarak Mandali’s (SPM) 125-year-old SP College on Wednesday revolves around caste politics and a fierce struggle for the post of the college principal.
According to the management committee member, Savita Datar, in 2008, a local court passed an order in favour of SP College and directed that candidates belonging to the reserved category can be appointed as principal in any of the three colleges under the SPM — SP College (Pune), Ramnarain Ruia College (Mumbai) and RA Podar College of Commerce and Economics (Mumbai). The order specified that reserved category candidates cannot insist on a post specifically in SP College.”
Following this order, the SPM began the selection process for the appointment of a regular principal. Senior faculty member Dilip Sheth, who was earlier the rector of the boys’ hostel, was then appointed principal.
This appointment was challenged by vice-principal Subhash Khandagale, a member of the reserved category, who appealed against the verdict in the Bombay high court, Datar said.
This simmering controversy had vitiated the college functioning and environment in the past months and boiled over on Wednesday when a majority of staff members bitterly complained to the principal against the four office-bearers: Khandagale, students’ welfare board coordinator Praveen Ransure, students’ placement cell director Saroj Hiremath and library incharge Sunil Gaikwad.
When asked about the thick shadows of caste politics hovering around the post of principal, Sheth replied, “This college belongs to everyone, not to a particular section of society. All the staff belong to various communities and are working together.”
Speaking to DNA, Khandagale said that the SPM was not following the court order and did not appoint a principal from the reserved category either at Ruia College or at Potdar College in Mumbai. “We, therefore, demanded that the post of principal at SP College should go to a candidate of the reserved category as per the court order,” he said.
According to Khandagale, his case is pending in the Bombay high court and, therefore, the action taken against him is prejudiced.
“The college principal’s post should be given to the right candidate. I am not longing for that post,” he said.
When asked about the allegations that he was harassing other senior faculty members in the college, Khandagale said, “I have never come across any such complaint. If the complaint was true, the principal should have initiated action against me.”
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