Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday hinted that he will run the state government based on what he feels is right, rather than following diktats issued by Raj Bhavan.
The not-so-subtle hint comes after Thackeray cancelled final-year university examinations and promoted students based on an aggregate marking system.
Earlier, Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari on May 22 had said that not conducting final-year examinations would breach the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Governor Koshyari also took objection to the recommendations made by Higher and Technical Minister Uday Samant to the UGC that called for cancelling the university examinations, remarking that it was not ‘ethical or appropriate’ to award degrees to final year students without conducting their examinations which results into violation of the provisions of the Universities’ Act.
However, Thackeray preferred not to keep lives of lakhs of students at risk by holding examination in the present coronavirus pandemic, but chose to set aside stipulated rules and regulation in the larger interest.
‘’I held a meeting of Vice-Chancellors yesterday regarding final year college exams. They unanimously said that the present circumstances do not allow for examinations to be held immediately as it is risky for lakhs of students to come together for exams,’’ Thackeray said in his web address on Sunday.
He further noted that, “ We have decided that students will get aggregate marks based on their performance in the previous semesters for that academic year. This is because there is no clarity on when the exams can be held. The future of students should not be kept hanging because of this.’’
Thackeray has also provided a solution. “But, if a student wants to appear for the final exams to improve their previous performance, they can be given an opportunity in September, October or November, based on how the situation is,” he viewed.
On May 20, Thackeray had skipped the meeting convened by the Governor to review the COVID 19 pandemic and the implementation of state government’s containment strategy. Although he deputed the Chief Secretary and other secretaries for the same, he also sent his close confidant Milind Narvekar to attend the meeting. Incidentally, Narvekar does not hold any official post but has been Thackeray’s close associate for a long.
Moreover, Thackeray has also indicated that he is not in a mood to entertain Governor’s proposal to make Raj Bhavan \ an independent establishment on the lines of the judiciary and the legislative secretariat. Koshyari has sought the delinking of the administration of Raj Bhavan from the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) under Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
Koshyari’s office has sought transfer of powers to decide on appointments, transfers and other service-related matters of the staff deployed at Raj Bhavan. However, Thackeray through the state administration has sent out strong signal to the Raj Bhavan that Governor’s proposal was not in keeping with the prevalent recruitment rules and will not give in to it.
