The ‘curt reminders’ of the University of Pune (UoP) have had its impact on most colleges that had not started the procedure of appointing full-time principals. Now, there are only 49 colleges left to start the procedure to appoint full-time principals.

The deadline, set by the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court, to appoint full-time principals across the state, got over on May 31. The HC order had mentioned that universities should stop admission process in colleges that fail to appoint principals. However, some institutes had moved Supreme Court against the HC order and obtained a stay on this order.

As the confusion prevailed over whether the SC order was applicable only to those who moved the SC or to all defaulting colleges, the UoP took a proactive step and again asked the defaulting colleges to at least start the appointment process. “The appointment of fulltime principals is a major issue as the principal is in-charge of academic as well as administrative affairs of the college. Though the UoP will not be taking action against the defaulters as of now, it will continue to pursue the defaulting colleges,” said acting vice- chancellor Arun Adsool.

Till last month, there were 93 colleges in the jurisdiction of the UoP, that had not even started the procedure of appointing full-time principals. “The latest situation, however, shows that 44 of these 93 have started the procedure. They have asked the university to send selection committee to their colleges to appoint the principals,” said Adsool. “As per the latest record, 219 of 527 colleges have full-time principals and 259 have started the selection procedure,” he added.

... contd.