Students and professors of the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) are in a quandary as the institute has not yet received any communication on the renewal of autonomy that lapsed five months ago.

Sameer Desai, one of the members of the Local Inquiry Committee (LIC) set up to review the autonomous status of VJTI, said the committee had decided not to renew the autonomous status of the institute and the report prepared by it is yet to be passed by the management council and the senate of the Mumbai University. The autonomous status of the institute lapsed on March 31 this year and the institute had received a letter in this regard on July 18.

“Keeping its shortcomings in mind, we had decided not to renew the autonomy. After the elapsed date, the institute ceases to be autonomous,” Desai said.

When contacted, SS Sahare, dean of engineering, University of Mumbai, said, “I will be submitting a letter soon to the vice-chancellor asking about further course of action. If the autonomy is pulled out in the middle of the year, students will be inconvenienced.”

However, Dr KG Narayankhedkar, director, VJTI, said, “As we have a good track record for the past five years, we are confident that autonomy will be renewed. Even if it is not, students need not worry as the university will not introduce anything abruptly and will take students’ best interests into consideration.”

“As the academic year has already started, implementation of the university syllabus is likely to be done next year so that students do not suffer,” said Desai.

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