The University of Mumbai will have its budget session on Monday.
The University of Mumbai will have its budget session on Monday. However, unlike previous budgets wherein there was opposition and questioning various allocations, this budget is expected to go off without a hitch as there is an ad hoc senate in the absence of an elected senate.
Student organisations that used to be part of the previous sessions have however indicated that after the budget is announced they will hold agitations at the campus if sufficient provisions are not made for the benefit of students.
With the government’s new Maharashtra Public Universities Act of 2015 yet to be enacted, the different governing bodies like the senate, management and academic councils of the university have been appointed on an ad hoc basis. As a result of this rather than having a full strength of 107 members, the university will be announcing the budget in the presence of less than a quarter of the original number. This according to students organisations will allow the MU authorities to declare the budget unopposed.
“Previously when the budgets were announced, the senate used to question the allocations or lack of provisions for important initiatives. However, this year there will be no objections as the ad hoc senate will only be too glad to get over the budget,” said former senate member Pradeep Sawant who owes allegiance to Yuva Sena. He further added that since the dissolution of the previous senate the university has taken two decisions that are questionable and had there been a proper senate in place, the MU authorities would have had a tough time answering the questions.
“The university announced the decision to purchase a plane for a newly launched course as well as construction of housing quarters for university employees. While the existing quarters are in a dilapidated condition and the university is not doing anything about it, the question arises as to whom the new quarters are going to benefit,” said Mr Sawant.
Confirming the claims of Sawant, Dr M.A. Khan, registrar, MU, said, “In the absence of elected members of the senate the budget is expected to be passed without opposition and there will be no questioning the provisions. However the university would like to assure the budget will be for the benefit of the student community.”
