Mumbai: Student body accuses MU of bias in senate elections

Mumbai: Maharashtra Students Union (MASU), a city-based students group, has announced an indefinite sit-in protest over what it sees as the University of Mumbai (MU)'s biased approach in upcoming senate elections.

Senate is the university's top statutory body, which is responsible for approving the varsity's annual budget and perspective plan. It includes elected representatives of teachers, principals and management representatives from university-affiliated colleges as well as registered graduates of the university.

MASU has demanded that instead of preparing a fresh list of registered graduates for the elections, the university should include those who had registered for the previous senate polls in 2010 and 2017 in the electoral rolls. They have also been demanding that the varsity should forego the Rs. 20 registration fees for graduates. It has also objected to the university extending the deadline for graduates to register for the elections.

MASU President Siddharth Ingle said that the university is favouring established political groups. "The universities' decisions and policies make it evident that it has become a puppet for politicians. As a result, it's losing its name and standing. The university administration and the state government have joined forces to exclude student representatives from the election process."

MASU's indefinite sit-in protest will begin at MU's Kalina campus on Friday.