Proposed Maharashtra Universities Act needs more time

The proposed Maharashtra Public Universities Act 2015 may take some time before it is enacted as the state has received some more suggestions from the academicians and politicians to the Nigvekar committee draft that had been finalised for enactment.

According to sources in the education ministry, the delay in enactment could also affect the title of the Act, which could be changed to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016 as it is expected to be enacted in the current year.

The Nigvekar committee., which had been entrusted with the task of preparing the draft of the Act that would replace the Maharashtra Public Universities Act 1994 had submitted the draft last year after which the government invited suggestions from the stakeholders from the academia as well as the general public. “After incorporating the suggestions, the final draft was prepared but after receiving more objections it was decided to take note of the same and include the additional changes in the draft. The draft was placed in the Cabinet for its approval in the ongoing Assembly session, but as there were some more changes suggested, the Act was not passed. As the changes will take some time to be affected the Act was not passed in the current Cabinet,” said an official from the higher and technical education department.