9 Senate members of Mumbai University did not attend a single meeting

Moneylife: Pune: Wednesday, 16 September 2015.

During 2013 to 2015, Senate members like Jitendra Awhad, Prakash Binsale, Praveen Darekar, Raj Shroff, Charan Singh Sapra and Shriram Dandekar have not even attended a single meeting, reveals a reply received under RTI.

Mumbai University, one of the most prominent universities in India is being made to attempt a new record by none other than its nominated members in the Senate. Especially, many of the prominent absentees include political leaders and senior officials from the Education department, reveals a reply received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

According to the reply received by activist Anil Galgali, under the RTI, there are 21 nominated members on the Mumbai University Senate. Since, the state government has postponed the elections of new members on the Senate, at present the administration has to be dependent on the current Senate members. Unfortunately, since many of them are not even attending Senate meetings, it is the University administration that must initiate action against such members.

During 2013 to 2015, Senate members like Jitendra Awhad, Prakash Binsale, Praveen Darekar, Raj Shroff, Charan Singh Sapra and Shriram Dandekar as well as the Joint Director of the Department of Higher Education in Mumbai, Joint Director of Technical Education and Director of Medical Education have not even attended a single meeting, the RTI reveals.

If any member remains absent from the Senate meetings for three consecutive times, then as per the Maharashtra University Act, the administration has to take action for cancelling their membership. But this is not happening in Mumbai University.

Galgali said, "Action should also be taken on Government officers who are responsible to see the working of the senate on day-to-day basis, or even those who are monitoring the Senate. Government should also take action against the government-nominated member under Service Rule & Regulation Act."

Maharashtra Government is planning to pass the New University Act during the upcoming Winter session of the Assembly. So it has postponed elections of Senate in all universities in the state till next year.