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Latest News |
| 08th
July 2010 / Times of India / Mumbai Edition |
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Gaps in univ quality, research: New V-C
After a pregnant pause, Mumbai University has finally
got a full-time vice-chancellor. Rajan Welukar took charge
as the captain of the 153-year-old ship on Wednesday.
He was appointed by the governor of Maharashtra, K Sankaranarayanan,
in his capacity as the chancellor of the all the state
universities. “The appointment will come into effect
from the date Welukar assumes the charge of the office
of the vice-chancellor and shall be for a term of five
years. The chancellor had personal interaction with all
the candidates shortlisted by the search committee headed
by Ashok Kolaskar, (V-C of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial
Technology), on Wednesday morning,’’ said
a press note from the governor’s office.
A former vice chancellor of the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra
Open University (YCMOU), Nashik, 51-yearold Welukar completed
his postgraduate education as well his PhD in statistics
from the Nagpur University. From March 2002, Welukar spent
a year-long stint as the deputy secretary (education)
to the governor of Maharashtra.
He spoke to this paper on Wednesday.
Tell us a little more about yourself...
Well, I have been in the field of education for the past
25 years. An alma mater of Nagpur University, I did both
my Msc and MPhil from there and passed out in 1983. I
also did my PhD in statistics from there about nine years
ago.
What is your vision for the university?
I can’t say anything in particular now because I
need to take charge and study the university and its functioning
completely, but as an academician, I can say that that
there are gaps in the university regarding quality, research,
manpower and governance. These need to be identified and
corrective measures need to be taken. It is a process
that will take its time. All decisions will have to be
student-centric. My vision is to take the university to
the next level.
What issues do you want to address immediately?
My priority will be to declare exam results. The results
are delayed and we will have to find out the cause and
look for an immediate solution. Also, renewing the university’s
NAAC accreditation would be my focus.
The credit and semester system is still in a limbo.
When do you think it will be implemented?
The decision will be taken in minimum possible time. I
have to look at what stage of approval it has reached
and then will have to have to have a dialogue with the
stakeholders.
What about bifurcation?
The Mumbai University has too many colleges under it and
has become unwieldy. This is a governance problem that
needs to be looked into. I cannot comment on it because
as of now, I have an outsider’s view, I still need
to take charge.
Rajasthan V-C Upset, May Move Court
Early on Wednesday, the vice-chancellor of Rajasthan University,
A D Sawant, dashed off a letter to governor K Sankarnarayanan
expressing that there has been an “outright violation
of rules” in selecting the vice chancellor of the
University of Mumbai.
"I am considering moving court. His (Rajan Welukar)
credentials are not correct. He completed his PhD when
he was the V-C of YCMOU in 2005,” he told this paper.
In his letter to the chancellor, Sawant, who was earlier
the pro V-C of the Mumbai varsity stated, “I wish
to put state, even at the cost of being immodest that,
by whichever standard one considers — qualifications,
experience and vision, I stand out far above the rest.
To be ignored to the extent of not being selected even
in the first five is a major setback and a great humiliation.
I suspect that this time too I am not selected because
two of the panel persons are extremely close to him. This
candidate is not even a professor.”
Faculty members of the university, under the banner of
University of Mumbai Academic Staff Association (Umasa),
have expressed their “disgust and displeasure”
with the selection. Members said that they are planning
to write to the governor.
Activists of the Republican Party of India (RPI) plan
to meet chief minister Ashok Chavan to voice their displeasure
with the fact that N S Gajbhiye was not selected as the
vice chancellor of the University of Mumbai. RPI leader
Ramdas Athawle said, “We have nothing against Welukar...
but there were better candidates who were overlooked.”
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