MUMBAI:
Suhas Pednekar, principal of Ramnarain
Ruia College (autonomous), Matunga, was announced as the new vice-chancellor of
Mumbai University. The Governor and Chancellor of state universities in
Maharashtra, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, announced Pednekar's name in an official mail, from among the five shortlisted candidates.
He succeeds
Sanjay Deshmukh, who was removed from the post of Vice Chancellor of the University on October 24, 2017. Devanand Shinde, Vice Chancellor of Shivaji University, Kolhapur was holding the additional charge of the post of Vice Chancellor since then. The two-month hunt for the controversial VC post, came to an end with Pednekar's selection over the other contenders, including Pramod Yeole, pro-vice-chancellor of Nagpur University. The announcement was delayed for over two weeks, after the governor's interaction.
Pednekar, 60, has been the principal of one of the city's leading colleges for several years. He has has guided 15 PhD and 10 postgraduate students in his academic career. He has 43 research papers in peer reviewed national and international journals and one patent to his credit. Though Pednekar has not held any administrative posts in Mumbai University, the principal's position in an affiliated college and his understanding of the problems faced by students and colleges, could work to his advantage.
The biggest challenge for Pednekar will be to announce the results of the ongoing exams on time and to ensure post graduate admissions are not delayed for another year. Getting NAAC accreditation, which expired last April and improving the university’s ranks in national and international ranking system should be his priority too, said a university official. The vacant posts of pro-vice-chancellor, registrar, and examination controller along with other faculty positions also needs to be filled following the VC’s appointment.
Along with Yeole and Pednekar, Anil Karnik, Garware, director, MU’s Garware Institute of Career Education and Development, VS Sapkal, former vice-chancellor of Nagpur University Nagpur University and PN Kondekar an aspirant from Jabalpur, were also shortlisted. The VC-search committee headed by renowned scientist K Kasturirangan and members Bhushan Gagrani, Vice-chairman, CIDCO, and NIT Uttarakhand director Shyam Lal Soni, had shortlisted 34 candidates from 104 applicants.
