Nagpur University faculty want dissolution of edu ‘task force’

Nagpur University faculty want dissolution of edu ‘task force’
A group of physical education teachers have demanded the dissolution of the 'task force' for the faculty alleging large-scale irregularities committed by its members. Citing appointment of 'tainted' persons as chairman of faculty and subsequent arrests of two professors while accepting bribe for passing students, the teachers demanded immediate overhaul of the 'task force'.

A delegation under former Senate member Manmohan Bajpayee met vice chancellor Siddharthvinayaka Kane with a set of demands while insisting on a thorough probe. The VC has declined to dissolve the 'task force' stating that it would hamper smooth functioning of the faculty but assured that complaints would be taken seriously. 

The aggrieved teachers pointed out that every year NU conduct practicals of graduate and postgraduate examinations in two groups, but this year four groups were formed, without assigning any reason.

Citing UGC guidelines where it had made mandatory PhD students to take only regular teachers as guides, the delegation said that 'task force' members flouted all rules and regulations while appointing 'outsiders' for conducting exam work.
Source : http://www.iamin.in/en/nagpur/news/nagpur-university-faculty-want-dissolution-edu-%E2%80%98task-force%E2%80%99-84845

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UNIVERSITY NEWS :- NU extends admission deadline for third time

In some good news for the students, Nagpur University has again extended its last date of admission for all courses apparently to fill up huge number of vacant seats in majority of faculties. This is for the third time that deadline has been extended by the NU authorities after heavy demand by the majority of affiliated colleges where large number of seats remained unfulfilled, a senior official informed.


A notification issued by the NU registrar Mahesh Yenkie on September 13 and addressed to all colleges mentioned that the admission deadline has been stretched to September 29 with a view to benefit many students who still wish to take admission. It will be applicable for both annual and semester pattern faculties and subjects. But, the notification would not be applicable for courses where admissions were conducted under Centralized Admission Procedure (CAP).


Interestingly, the new notification comes with a rider that principals of the colleges admitting such students will have to submit an undertaking that their academic year comprising 180 days would be completed by them by conducting extra classes. Though Yenkie was not available for the comments, senior official added that on account of blind expansion of colleges in NU which crossed 800 mark, the colleges are finding it extremely difficult to get students. To add to the woes, increasing number of them are seeking refuge at Mumbai, Pune and other universities where ample job opportunities exist.


The official, however, raised concern over NU's move stating that since winter exams of annual pattern are commencing on October 15 and those of semester pattern to follow soon, the students will hardly get any time to complete the mandatory requirement of 180 days as per Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994. Additionally, the one-month Diwali vacations would also begin next month followed by the season of social and cultural events, which will make it even more difficult to complete the norm.


Already NU has received flak over its decision to permit students of 85 colleges (in 2006-07 and 2007-08 sessions), including engineering, to appear in the annual examinations despite the fact that they hardly attended college for even 90 days. These colleges in question admitted students after getting affiliation from NU as late as January 2007 and its students appeared in the summer examinations that began in March same year. Even a police complaint was filed alleging that NU bosses had violated provisions of law and granted bogus degrees to the students. Subsequently, a case was filed in Nagpur bench of Bombay high court which later moved to the Supreme Court.
FROM :- TOI

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NAGPUR UNIVERSITY :- Gondwana finally gets a VC

After a delay of over nine months, the Maharashtra government has finally named a vice chancellor for the Gondwana University (GU) that's to come up at Gadchiroli. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan announced the name of Vijay Aanchwar for the top job of Maharashtra's newest university here on Friday.

While the official notification is expected on Saturday, the CM did not mention when the decision to appoint Aanchwar as VC was taken. Aanchwar himself learnt about his appointment only after receiving phone calls from the media. TOI learns that Nagpur University's senior official Arvind Chaudhary, former YCMOU pro-VC Pandit Palande and North Maharashtra University VC Sudhir Meshram were the other contenders.

Aanchwar, the 62-year-old former principal of Sardar Patel College in Chandrapur, said, "I will be going to Nagpur University's sub-centre at Gadchiroli in a couple of days. I am still unaware of other details. I will be talking to the government officials on various issues from next week," he said.

Hailing from the nondescript Bangaram Talodhi village in Gondpipri town of Chandrapur district, Aanchwar has an impressive academic background. He is also a gold medallist in MCom. Aanchwar had completed his PhD in working of 'Gramin Banks' and was member of NU"s Academic Council, Senate and Board of Studies. Interestingly, Aanchwar is also chairman of the Kanyaka Nagri Cooperative Bank in Chandrapur.

Aanchwar aims to expedite the process of constitution of various statutory bodies like the academic, management councils and senate. "In the next seven to eight months, I will give priority to this work and then the academic year could be started from June," Aanchwar told TOI from Ramgiri, the CM's official residence in the city.

The GU will be carved out by bifurcating the 88-year-old Nagpur University which is already overseeing over 800 colleges. This will be the second bifurcation for the parent university since it was established. Earlier, Amravati University was formed in 1983.

Gondwana will be newest university in Maharashtra after Solapur University was created in 2004. The GU is expected to usher in a new era in the backward and Naxal-infested district of Gadchiroli.

Owing to the delay of naming a VC nearly a year after the ordinance was promulgated, the GU will have to wait till June next year to become operational. It will then have 163 colleges from Chandrapur and Gadchiroli under its umbrella.

Until then, NU will continue to remain saddled with the additional burden. TOI had been repeatedly highlighting this issue of the delay in naming the GU VC.

As reported by TOI earlier, the delay in the appointment of GU VC was due to a tug of war between the two ruling partners - Congress and NCP. As home minister RR Patil is also guardian minister for Gadchiroli, the NCP bigwigs wanted their man for the top post.

Chavan had reportedly given an assurance to a delegation of tribals leaders in Mumbai that the new VC would be selected from among the tribal community.

State BJP president Sudhir Mungatiwar who first mooted the concept of GU hailed the decision but was critical of the delay. "While the NCP wanted Chaudhary as VC, the Congress wanted Aanchwar," he alleged.

SOURS :- TOI

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NAGPUR UNIVERSITY :- NU serves notice to 6 lecturers, FAO for illegal appointments

NU serves notice to 6 lecturers, FAO for illegal appointments
After initially denying the roster scam that shook the Nagpur University and stalled all its appointments, the bosses finally issued notices to six lecturers who were illegally appointed and were thus part of the scam. As if it is not enough, a notice was also served to NU finance and accounts officer (FAO) Puran Meshram who was heading the NU Backward Class (BC) cell, as deputy registrar, when the modus operandi was at its peak to illegally recruit persons on important posts by tampering the roster, a senior NU official confirmed.

The show cause notices asked them as to why they shouldn't be removed from the posts for occupying them illegally. They had been asked to file a reply within two weeks. Over 500 NU appointments including those of heads of departments, deans, teachers and assistant registrars made after 2004 would stand cancelled if the roster was properly implemented, the official revealed. The scam had already cost the state exchequer crores of rupees in salary payments.

TOI had first exposed the scam on March 19, 2009 reporting how NU failed to verify its roster that was full of illegal appointments. TOI also published the confidential report of state general administration department (GAD) which revealed some shocking facts and passed strictures on the NU bosses for not making appointments as per the roster.

The report drafted by ex-principal secretary PS Meena mentioned that the appointments of 12 NU teachers including PN Khobragade, PM Tumane, VK Jambhulkar and DD Barasgade were completely illegal and directed the NU bosses to immediately remove them. These four from NU's archaeology, microbiology, political science and zoology departments respectively were among the ones who got notices from NU. Along with them, Kalpana Nagle from geology and A Dongre from chemistry departments were also served notices.

Though Meshram refused to comment on the issue despite repeated attempts, controller of examinations (CoE) looking after additional charge of registrar feigned ignorance about any such development.

Ironically, this much-delayed action came after the legislative enquiry panel led by Gadchiroli MLA Anand Gedam gave an ultimatum to vice-chancellor Vilas Sapkal and registrar Mahesh Yenkie to act on the Meena report which clearly asked the NU bosses to replace these teachers with right candidates. The panel was on a two-day visit to the NU and other institutions for seeking details in the appointments, promotions, reservations, scholarships, admissions of SC, NT and VJ candidates. The members slammed NU bosses for not correcting the roster which has severe irregularities and directed them to do so within a month and submit a report. They also asked NU bosses to initiate action against the guilty within a week.

Even Justice (Retd) GG Loney panel constituted by former VC SN Pathan for probing irregularities had indicted many NU officials for their involvement in the scam and asked NU bosses to immediately lodge a police complaint. But, NU appointed another panel of deputy registrar with North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon, RJ Valvi to verify recommendations of the Loney panel. However, though the panel endorsed the retired judge's stand, surprisingly, the NU administration failed to take any action on either Meena, Loney or Valvi reports which were submitted to the VC long back.

The notices proved beyond doubt that the roster scam happened in NU which the bosses were declining. If these posts were still continued then it will be a grave injustice to other candidates whose appointments were decided as per the roster on rotation basis. NU is expected to even lodge a FIR after reply filed by six teachers and Meshram, the official said.

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