FPJ-Ed: Maharashtra govt sets up committee for establishment of online university

The Maharashtra Government on Wednesday has set up a 10-member committee for the establishment of an online university in the state on the lines of Kerala and a couple of countries abroad. The committee is headed by the former vice chancellor of the Savitribai Phule Pune University--RK Shevgaonkar and it consists of another VC of the Savitribai Phule Pune University--Vasudev Gade, Dean of California University--Dr Agappa Gunshekharan, Professor Suraj Shrinivasan from Harvard Business School among others.

The committee held its first meeting on Wednesday and it is expected to submit a report to the state government in two months.

A committee member told the Free Press Journal, ‘’The government has proposed the setting up of an online or digital university in view of the present trend. During the coronavirus pandemic, offline classes could not be conducted as the universities and colleges had to rely on online education. The proposed online or digital university will be for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.’’ He said the state government will decide whether it will be formed and run by the government or by private sector.

Another member, however, said the committee will recommend the technology platform to be used for the functioning of the proposed online or digital university. ‘’However, the committee will recommend that there should not be any compromise on the quality of education,’’ he said.