MU Board of Studies polls put on pause

“I have been raising strong objections against Mumbai University allowing a candidate who is not a full-time post graduate level teacher. However,the elections were still conducted on February 7. The varsity had to stall the counting of votes following objections from many others,” said Dr Vivek Deolankar,professor and head of commerce department MU,who is also one of the candidates for Board of Studies (Commerce). The candidate in question is Dr Ramprakash Nair.

“According to the rules,only those candidates who are teaching at full-time PG level course can be allowed. Dr Nair has been teaching at a college and so is not a full-time PG teacher. He is a PhD guide at Tilak Maharashtra University and not in Mumbai University. By accepting Nair’s candidature varsity authorities are violating Maharashtra University Act 1994,” Dr Deolankar added.

“I am teaching at PG level course for last 23 years at R K Talreja college,Ulhasnagar. Though I am not a full-time PG teacher,I was co-opted by the varsity. All parties who are unhappy with my candidature can go to court against me. But they cannot stall the election procedure and disrupt the working of the varsity in this manner,” Countered Dr Nair.

Captain D U Shinde,faculty of commerce at CHM College in Ulhasnagar,has written to MU on the issue. “ If the candidature of Dr Nair is accepted then I become the affected party. During senate elections my name was struck off the list on the ground that I am not a full-time PG level teacher. Now the rules are conveniently twisted for Nair. We will not allow this and the varsity will have to cancel Nair’s candidature,” Captain Shinde said.

The University of Mumbai Academic Staff Association (UMASA) has also raised objections. UMASA secretary Vivek Belhekar wrote to the varsity on February 5 citing that rules were violated in the same manner during elections of BoS History,Economics,Education and Chemistry.

M S Kurhade,incharge pro-vice-chancellor of MU and election returning office of MU,said,“The board of studies this year is formed on ad-hoc and co-opt basis with teachers who are senior and experienced. So that we will not have to face any problems from the next tenure as several teachers have already started upgrading their qualifications.”