University of Mumbai to approve 46 new colleges

After a series of delays, the University of Mumbai passed its perspective plan for the next academic year in its senate on Tuesday. The plan outlines the proposed colleges under the university in the next one year.

Over 46 new colleges are likely to get approval as per the plan which includes a law institute in Bhiwandi, a night college and a women's college in Navi Mumbai, an architecture college in Ratnagiri. The university also plans to expand its distance education programmes by establishing centres of the Institute of Distance and Open learning (IDOL) in its various sub centres.

Law colleges which have only 1 division at this point would be allowed to get more divisions while the university would encourage colleges to have courses like NSS, NCC and foundation courses. The university would also encourage institutes to provide internships and apprenticeships to its students.

This year, the university failed to submit the plan to the government before the August 31 deadline as several meetings scheduled to get the plan passed had to be cancelled due to the result mess. While all the other universities in the state submitted their plans within the deadline, MU was the last one to do so as the plan was finally sent on Tuesday to the special committee formed by the government under the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The university will now invite applications for new colleges and courses in existing colleges.

MNVS demands FIR in 'missing papers' issue

Days after University officials declared that over 28 thousand answer sheets were either physically or logically 'missing' due to several technical issues, the Maharashtra Navanirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) on Wednesday approached the BKC police station requesting action under the Maharashtra Public Records Act of 2005.

"We demand action against the university for this negligence which is putting lives of thousands of students at stake," said Akhil Chitre, Vice President, MNVS.

EXPANSION CARD

• The perspective plan is an annual document prepared by universities. The plan outlines their broader objectives for expansion for the next five years.
   
• Apart from its long term goals and objectives, the perspective plan outlines its growth prospects in the next one year by decoding the number of new colleges and courses in the upcoming academic year.