There is no Vice Chancellor, no Pro-Vice Chancellor, no Registrar, no Controller of Examinations...even no moderators and tabulators in a university which determines the academic fate of about two lakh students.

V-C Bhalchandra Chopane and Pro-VC Yoganand Kale who put in their papers on Sunday, maintain that they resigned only after putting the University on an even keel.

Maybe, but ask the third year BE student whose heart is pounding away as loudly as the guns were in Kargil.

The results of second, third and final BE, as well as a host of other examinations, are yet to be announced. The hastily roped-in tabulators and moderators are so new, they're still busy reading the rules. With the examination section in turmoil, summer 1999 applicants for revaluation are having sleepless nights. If this were not enough, the police investigation is keeping half the work force occupied and the restpre-occupied.

If there ever were a scene of total collapse of a system to be seen, today it's at Nagpur University, which is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee.

One must find sympathy for Dr S S Dara. He's suddenly the man in charge of the mess. Having rather reluctantly accepted charge of the Registrar's post a day before, he woke up this morning to find out that the V-C and the Pro-VC had resigned.

``It was indeed a bit of a shock to me,'' he told The Indian Express this afternoon. ``I had hoped to come to the office today and thrash out a few things with them.''

When asked how he felt as the `boss' of the University, he chuckled, ``I never was `boss' even before, and I never will be one. But at the moment, it does appear that I'm the only one around.''

He said that he has asked the examination officials (the Controller is officiating too) to submit a report on the status of the Summer 1999 results. Dara seemed surprisingly composed about bearing the responsibility suddenly thrust upon him.``We'll get on with it. Don't worry,'' he said.

Other employees, however, do feel orphaned by the sudden vacancy at the top. ``Files have stopped moving and nobody seems to know what to do about it. Most people have just thrown up their hands in dismay,'' said one employee.

Only the V-C is empowered to approve emergency action and emergency has become routine in Nagpur University. Besides, it is the V-C who can okay expenditure in excess of Rs 10,000. He is also the approving authority for new lecturers in affiliated colleges. With the academic session in its initial phase, a lot of such `approving' needs to be done.

Meetings of important committees that are chaired by the V-C or the Pro-VC have also been kept on hold. Only today, a meeting of the committee constituted under Section 32 (5) was to be held in the University to draw up a panel of research examiners.

The process of submission of forms, however, is more or less unaffected. Sections other than that concerned with examinations are expectedto function normally.

Talking to The Indian Express, Pro-VC Yoganand Kale refused to accept that the University is not functioning. ``We took the step (of resigning) only after we ensured that the administration was well on course. Most of the results have already been declared. Others will be out soon. The results of Final Year BE are ready,'' he said.

Kale said that Chopane and he had made all the arrangements to ensure that the University functioned smoothly after their departure. ``There will be no major impact on the administration,'' he assured.

With a touch of disappointment, he said, ``I tried my best to make improvements in this University and bring it glory and prestige. However, this had to happen then. I'm sad that our efforts got washed away in this scandal, but I'm thankful to all the employees, members of various bodies, principals, teachers, students and parents who extended their cooperation to me.''

That sounded pretty much like a farewell speech. Asked about his intentions,Kale stressed, ``I'm not coming back to the University. I've had enough.''

He hastened to add that he would always be available for any help that the Justice M M Qazi enquiry committee or the investigating policemen might require.

Justice Qazi formally began his enquiry today. He has been provided a chamber adjacent to that of the Pro-VC. The University has also made available to him the services of a presenting officer in the form of Advocate Bhanudas Kulkarni, a secretary, a steno and a peon.