In a bid to resolve the problems faced by students at the university level, state higher and technical education minister Uday Samant declared an initiative, whereby he will visit every varsity in the state to get to the bottom of the issues. Tagged as ‘Mantralaya at Your University’, the programme is expected to nip any pressing issue at the varsity level.
The first leg of the drive will begin from Kolhapur University on Monday. Talking about the initiative, Samant said, “Many students, professors, parents and even non-teaching staff visit the Mantralaya in Mumbai and I hope to reverse the practice.” At least 40 lakh students are enrolled under the higher education department, while six-seven lakh teachers, non-teaching staff and principals are employed to attend to them. Through the initiative, we will try to address their concerns.”
After Samant announced his Kolhapur initiative, around 1,200 students registered their concerns to be addressed through the session.
Once the visit date is announced, students, staff and faculty need to register their concerns. Samant said, “In Pune, Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) will have two sessions — one at Pune and other at Nashik, at the varsity’s sub-centre.” Samant hopes to resolve at least 50 per cent of the issues so that they could be addressed before reaching Mumbai.
Kuldeep Ambekar from Marathwada Mitra Mandal’s College of Commerce said, “We usually write to the higher education office or minister and reach out to them via social media. It will be easier for us to voice our grievances if the representatives come and meet us.”
Students informed that problems related to scholarships, admissions and results need the attention of the higher education authorities.
REOPENING SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES NOT THE SAME THING, INSISTS SAMANT
While students have been demanding that higher education institutes be thrown open after schools for higher classes were already resumed, Samant said the matter will be discussed but reasoned that the two cannot be compared, since school students are mostly from the same city, whereas college students often come from other towns and states.
“We are in talks with local administrations and taking into consideration if the hostel facilities are free from quarantine centres. Many rural pupils travel to Pune or Mumbai and live in hostels. The local administration is responsible for their well-being in view of the COVID-19 crisis,” he said, adding, “Until the situation comes under control, classes and exams should be held online.”
Source: Pune Mirror