The state government has established a 14-member committee, headed by the former chairman of the University Grants Commission Dr Sukhdev Thorat, to make recommendations on the amendments to the Maharashtra Public University Act, 2016. The Higher and Technical Education Department deputy secretary AM Bawiskar, on Monday, issued a notification, which says that amendments to the Act was necessary in order to increase the quality and standard of education so that the students can progress in the present highly competitive education sector.
The government aims to make necessary changes in the education system, which will promote research and development and be job-oriented. Further, it is also necessary to plan changes keeping students at the centre. The committee has been formed to study the provisions of the New Education Policy and the proposals made by (UGC) and the All India Technical Education Council to improve the education standard.
The committee’s mandate includes making suggestions that will be practical, physical and viable in the implementation and examine the present provisions of the Maharashtra Public University Act, 2016, and suggest recommendations that will be in line with the New Education Policy.
The Maharashtra Public University Act, 2016, which came into effect during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rule, has a provision whereby each university will be governed by the vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor, deans of faculties and seven directors. Besides, there will be a registrar, finance and accounts officer and director of sub-campuses of the university. A system has been put in place to grant approval to new colleges. It will offer a letter of intent for the first year, during which the colleges will have to complete infrastructure building and creation of facilities. After the new college has been scrutinised for facilities, the university will then grant permission to run such colleges.
