Don’t consider tainted official for Mumbai University post: Student unions

Students’ unions have requested the University of Mumbai (MU) to not consider the candidature of former controller of examinations (CoE) Vilas Shinde since he was suspended due to irregularities in the documents he submitted at the time of his appointment.

MU will be conducting interviews of candidates for the post of CoE on Wednesday and Mr Shinde is one of the short-listed candidates. While university officials say that there is nothing wrong in his candidature, officials from the higher education department have said that Mr Shinde’s suspension was based on a government order and hence an inquiry would be initiated against the university if he is appointed to the post.

According to Sudhakar Tamboli, an ex-MU senate member and member of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, “The university had suspended Shinde for irregularities in his appointment and there were various other allegations levelled against him by the staff and students as well. As the post is a highly sensitive one and since he had been suspended, we met vice-chancellor Dr Sanjay Deshmukh on Tuesday and requested him to not consider Shinde’s candidature.” Other students’ unions, like the Yuva Sena, NSUI and NSC, have also opposed Mr Shinde’s candidature.

But Dr M.A. Khan, registrar, MU, said, “The committee appointed to screen the applicants has verified Shinde’s application and, as they did not have any problem, there is nothing wrong in his candidature.”