Only nine departments and colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai (MU) conducted Constitution Day programmes last year.
Only nine departments and colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai (MU) conducted Constitution Day programmes last year. According to information gathered from the university by a student organisation, though the events were recommended by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and forwarded to the departments and colleges by the university very few had obliged. The student organisation said that this is a direct display of disrespect to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar who was responsible for writing the Constitution.
According to Santosh Gangurde, the vice-president of the MU unit of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena, the university had asked departments and affiliated colleges to observe November 26 as Constitution Day by conducting seminars and increasing awareness among students about the Constitution. “The event was recommended by the UGC based on the fact that many youngsters in the nation do not know about the Constitution which was adopted on November 26. The university had asked its departments and affiliated colleges to conduct the seminar towards that end,” said Mr Gangurde.
He further added that the seminar would also highlight the contribution of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and hence with Dr Ambedkar’s 125 th birth anniversary celebrations on the offing they decided to find out how many departments and colleges had abided by the UGC and MU diktat. “We sought information from the department of students’ welfare that was entrusted with the task of collating reports of Constitution Day programmes held on November 26 from the departments and colleges and were surprised to know that only nine programmes had been conducted,” said Mr Gangurde.
From the 57 departments in the university, the department of law and civics and politics only conducted the programme. The seven colleges that conducted the programme from the 740 colleges affiliated colleges are KC Law College, Vikas College, Vasantrao Naik College, SIES College, NSS College, Manohar Hari Khapane College and Rizvi College.
“It is really sad that the departments and colleges have failed to conduct the event. It is a sign of disrespect and the guilty should be dealt with strictly,” said Mr Gangurde.
A university official said that it would be asking the errant departments and colleges to submit a response in this regard but no action would be initiated as it was a recommended event and not mandatory.
