Pro-Vice-Chancellor gets more powers under draft Act

The draft of Maharashtra Public Universities Act of 2016 that was tabled on Tuesday has vested more powers to the pro-vice-Chancellor and also increased the number of elected senators. The Act was to be discussed in the house on Tuesday but was postponed due to adjournments. The draft has also included a special section that will deal with the issue of ragging too.

Unlike the previous Maharashtra Universities Act of 1994 wherein the vice-chancellor was the highest and most powerful authority of the university, the new draft has vested some of his powers to the pro-vice chancellor. The powers vested with the PVC include both academic and administrative decisions that were the prerogative of the VC. The powers include overseeing the research, affiliate programmes of the university as well as post graduate studies and taking decisions pertaining to them. The incumbent PVC has also been entrusted with the task of overseeing the quality and standard of education being imparted in the university and its affiliate colleges. The PVC will also have the authority to place suggestions for various academic and administrative changes that need to be affected in the university and affiliated colleges in front of the various authoritative bodies of the university.

The new section on ragging and anti-ragging laws which was not addressed in the old Act nor the original draft is an important addition in latest draft of the Act.