Maha varsity VCs demand resumption of classroom teaching

The vice chancellors of allpublic universities in Maharashtra on Friday ''unanimously''raised before Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari the demand toresume actual classroom teaching in colleges.

In a statement issued by Raj Bhavan, the VCs told thegovernor they are willing to start classroom sessions incolleges as early as from February 1 if permission isgranted.

The statement said the demand was made in a meetingKoshyari held with VCs of 20 Maharashtra universities andstate higher and technical education secretary Om PrakashGupta via video conferencing on Friday.

The meeting was convened by the governor to discussthe universities' new academic calendar for 2020-21, status ofstatutory audit of universities, vacancies and status ofrecruitment of statutory posts in universities etc, said thestatement.

''Vice chancellors of public universities across thestate today unanimously demanded permission to start classroomteaching in colleges and universities immediately,'' it said.

The governor said it is ''ironical'' that while schoolfor standards V and VIII were being reopened, universities andcolleges had not started classroom teaching yet.

As per the statement, Koshyari said, at a time whenthe COVID-19 pandemic is coming under control, universitiesshould explore the possibility of opening classes in shifts.

He added that the University Grants Commission too hadlaid down the procedure for opening of colleges.

The statement said Koshyari instructed the higher andtechnical education department to fill vacant statutory postsin the universities such as registrar, dean of faculty anddirector etc.

The VCs furnished information about their academiccalendar, status of audit and vacancies of statutory positionsto the governor, and told him nearly 50 per cent teachingposts in colleges were lying vacant, it added.