Devendra Fadnavis. (File Pic) 
Key Highlights
- Fadnavis alleged that this new system will help the MVA government in making universities act as an epicentre of degree distribution scam.
- Maharashtra minister Uday Samant has refuted these allegations.
Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government wants to make the Governor a puppet of their hands by cutting down his powers. Fadnavis said this criticising the Maharashtra Public University Act (2016) Amendment Bill passed in both the houses during the winter session of the Assembly recently.
“When we had made this Act (2016), that the time selection committee was headed by a judge and other members whom the Government, Governor & university used to select. This four-member selection panel used to recommend five names for the post of Vice-Chancellor and out of those five names, the Governor used to select one candidate as Vice-Chancellor of the university. Hence, there was never any allegation of bias, but now in this new process, Govt will be selecting three members over selection panel and within 30 days’ time, the Governor has to select the candidate or else Govt will select it. It is clear that they want to make the Governor a ‘puppet’ of their hands by curtailing his powers,” Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis further alleged that this new system will help the MVA government in making universities an epicentre of degree distribution scams.
“In most of the universities, we are using online exam format. There is an entire system in place for it but now these ministers are deciding whom to give the contract to conduct these online exams. Then some other companies will get the contract to conduct the exams online and all universities will become an epicenter of degree distribution scam,” Fadnavis alleged.
“When I was in Nagpur University, one such scam took place in which the registrar himself was distributing the marks as per the desires of students & the students used to get the degree without attending exams. Now, this Govt has decided to do such things. MVA Govt has created a new post equivalent to Vice-Chancellor which the minister will be heading. Now, the minister will head the senate. Does the minister have that much time to conduct the business of the senate? This new proposal which MVA govt has passed in both the houses taking the powers of Vice-Chancellors is nothing but to make them ‘Babu’. Now Vice-Chancellors won’t have any powers and will have to act according to the ministers,” the leader of opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly said.
The higher and technical education minister of the Maharashtra Government Uday Samant earlier had said that those misconceptions were being spread regarding the Maharashtra Public University Act (2016) Amendment Bill.
“The amendment ‘does not reduce the powers of the Governor,” he said. He said the bill was introduced keeping in view the appointment of vice-chancellor in many states.