Governor upset over poor ranking of Maha universities in NIRF

Mumbai : The Governor of Maharashtra and Chancellor of Universities CH Vidyasagar Rao has taken serious cognisance of the poor ranking of universities in Maharashtra.

Rao expressed serious concern over the poor ranking of universities from Maharashtra in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) and asked Vice Chancellors to prepare a detailed strategy for improving their ranking.

Referring to ‘serious negligence’ in evaluation of exam papers and declaration of results in the University of Mumbai, the Governor asked Vice Chancellors to accord top priority to declare results of all examinations within a specific time. He called for immediate implementation of examination reforms, including end-to-end computerisation on top priority.

Referring to the issue of performance appraisal of vice chancellors, the Governor said, “We need to put in place a mechanism for performance appraisal of Vice Chancellors so as to bring better accountability in to the system.”

The Governor, accompanied by CM Devendra Fadnavis, addressed a meeting of Vice Chancellors and Pro Vice Chancellors of non-agricultural universities in Maharashtra at Sahyadri State Guest House in Mumbai on Saturday. He asked universities to form a taskforce for conducting academic audits and urged universities to take appropriate action

against those institutions which were having substandard infrastructure and large deficiencies in teaching and non-teaching staff.

Making a reference to the tours of Vice Chancellors, the Governor advised Vice Chancellors to keep their tours outside the jurisdiction of their university ‘to the minimum’. He regretted that at times Vice Chancellors were leaving the headquarters of the University without prior permission of the Chancellor. He asked all vice chancellors to take firm and resolute action on decisions taken at the meeting of Vice Chancellors.

The meeting discussed the Action Taken Report based on decisions taken at the previous meeting of the Vice Chancellors. Adoption of Choice-Based Credit System, National Skill Qualification Framework Certification Level, Implementation of recommendations of the Exam Reform Committee were among the topics discussed at the meeting.

Rao also discussed the introduction of Integrated University Management System, Student Start-up Movement, Introduction of Skill Development Courses in Universities/Colleges across Maharashtra, Implementation of Maharashtra Public University Act 2016, Curriculum Reforms, etc.

Minister of Finance Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister of Higher Education Vinod Tawde, Ministers of State Deepak Kesarkar and Ravindra Waikar, Director of AICTE Prof Anil Sahasrabuddhe and senior government officials were also present.

Varsities ‘mission mode’ will improve ranking, says CM

Expressing strong displeasure over the fact that all universities in Maharashtra – except Pune which is ranked 9th – were ranked above 150 in the National Institute Ranking Framework declared by MHRD, CM Devendra Fadnavis asked Vice Chancellors to go on a ‘mission mode’ to improve their rankings by next year. He said universities in Mahara-shtra should become ‘creators of knowledge’ and not remain content being ‘disseminators of knowledge’. He appealed to VCs to make university campuses across state ‘clean and green’ by achieving zero-garbage and zero discharge status and by increasing the use of RE.

He called for creating an IT-based management system to manage a large number of colleges.