These include the Mahatma Phule Institute of Management and Computer Studies at Hadapsar, which has been granted 30 seats for MCM, the Jai Shivraya Pratisthan at Paud Road, granted 40 seats each for DBM, MCM and MPM, and the Sinhagad Institute of Management, which has been granted 60 seats for MCM, announced M G Shinde, Acting Registrar, UoP, who is also the Secretary of the Academic Council.

Taking serious note of the controversy regarding the affiliation granted to the Institute of Business Management and Research (IBMR), Parvati, and the protests it generated from student organisations, for this year the academic council has decided to limit the period of affiliation to only a year, instead of the regular three years, said a University official.

The institutes will have to apply for renewal of affiliation at the end of the year, and the University's decision will depend on the institutes' performance and fulfillment of all University regulations.

In another significant decision for engineering students at Nashik, the Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj, Nashik, headed by Dr Vasant Pawar, has been granted permission to start a college of engineering, with four branches and 40 seats. The motion was proposed by Dr Vasant Pawar and seconded by Advocate H Bhosale.

The academic council also agreed to set up as soon as possible, an inquiry committee of the Board of College and University Development (BCUD), to inquire into the question of disaffiliation of IBMR, Parvati, under University rules, said Shinde. The IBMR has already been served a notice for payment of fine of Rs 3,90,000, by the UoP.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Pune, had on Tuesday demanded that Vice-Chancellor Dr Nigvekar submit a proposal for disaffiliation of IBMR, claiming that the institute had started an additional division for MCM without permission from the University or the State Government. The ABVP had also protested against the permission granted by the UoP to permit IBMR to conduct examinations in April '99, the results of which were recently announced.

No deadline has yet been set for the committee to submit its report to the BCUD, which will then need approval of the academic council. The council voted that Prof J S Sainik of Nashik Law College be included as a co-opted member of the academic council, said Shinde.