Indian
Express: Mumbai: Friday, 29 January 2016.
A recent RTI
reply by Mumbai University (MU) has revealed that a little over three per cent
of the total number of colleges affiliated to it have permanent affiliation.
These colleges, however, have been functioning normally and even awarding
degrees to its students every year. An RTI reply by MU’s affiliation department
dated January 20 states that of the total 770 colleges affiliated to MU, 746 do
not have a permanent affiliation. While the data revealed in the same RTI reply
shows that around 133 colleges have acquired temporary affiliation.
The data was
revealed after an RTI query was filed by activist Ranbir Singh in December last
year. Initially the administration refused to share the data. However, after a
first appeal was filed, the affiliation department was directed to provide the
information to Singh. The reply was provided to Singh on January 20.
The
staggering data of colleges awaiting affiliation or its renewal was also
detailed in a 2013 report of the state government’s senior audit officer that
was availed under the RTI Act by another activist Vihar Durve. “The shocking
thing that was revealed was that a college was granted affiliation even before
any inspection was carried, while renewal of affiliation for many colleges was
still pending,” said Durve, citing from the report.
The report
also stated that delays were noticed in constituting the Local Inspection
Committee (LIC), which is supposed to inspect colleges. Thus, the colleges were
conducting courses/ programmes and even awarding degress to students without
permanent affiliation, which is an important criterion for applying to the
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
The varsity
takes factors such as infrastructure, teachers, library and administration,
etc., into account for granting and renewing affiliation to colleges. A similar
issue was raised by the Members of Mumbai University and College Teachers
Association (MUCTA) in 2014. They had even written to the then Chief Minister
Prithviraj Chavan and Governor K Sankaranarayan alleging that although many of
the colleges have been applying for affiliation, it is MU which has not been
renewing them even after collecting affiliation fees. “We have learnt that
colleges seeking affiliation have regularly applied to Mumbai University before
October 30 every year and have also paid the stipulated fee,” said Vaibhav
Narawade, secretary of MUCTA.
According to
the RTI reply to Singh, only 437 of the 770 colleges have been inspected, still
only 24 colleges managed to get permanent affiliation. “It is a blatant
violation of Sections 86 and 87 of Maharashtra University Act 1994,” added
Narawade. According to MUCTA in 2006-07, affiliation fee earned by MU amounted
to Rs 2.72 crore and three years later in 2009-10, MU collected Rs 11.72 crore.
Activists and
educationists claim the huge backlog in renewing affiliation indicates that
colleges seeking affiliation failed to fulfill conditions for it. Affiliation
is granted to colleges that are older than six years.
Durve added,
“It is sad to note that a prestigious public institution like MU has become
commercialised.”
A senior
varsity official from MU’s affiliation department said, “Temporary affiliation
was given to those institutions which could not comply with minor conditions,
with instructions to comply with the requirements within the said academic
year.”
Meanwhile, M
A Khan, registrar of MU, said affiliations are granted to institutes and
colleges only after the LIC committee is satisfied they have improved on the
suggestions the community members gave them during their earlier visit. “There
are certain criteria that we have to consider while granting extension of
affiliation. If the LIC committee finds that the colleges are not fulfilling
these criteria, either a temporary affiliation is granted or it is put on hold
and the affiliation is not extended at all. Unless the colleges fulfill these
criteria, permanent affiliation is not granted to them.”
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