MU calls for emergency meet over perspective plan

The University of Mumbai has called an emergency meeting of the academic and management council on November 19 after the government advanced the deadline for submission of perspective plans to November 21.

While the university has said it will conduct two meetings on November 19, the final procedure of placing the perspective plan before the senate would be possible only after getting the approval of the chancellor.

According to sources, the decision of the government to stall sanctioning of new colleges in academic year 2015-16 and then announcing on October 31 that it would accept the same has resulted in the university being forced to put together a perspective plan at the last moment.

“The government has asked all the colleges to submit the perspective plans till November 21 hence the urgent meetings had to be scheduled,” said a source in the university.

The source said that while the Board of College and University Development (BCUD) has put together a perspective plan, it has to receive a nod from the academic and management council and finally the senate.

“The BCUD has prepared the perspective plan and a meeting of the academic and management council has been scheduled for November 19. Invitations to the members of both the councils have been sent out and the approval of both the councils is expected to be completed on that day itself,” said the source.

However, the final approval of the senate will remain in limbo as the chancellor’s approval is required for the meeting and the plan.

The source said that the university would send a request to the chancellor to give his assent for the senate on Wednesday, after which the date for the senate can be announced. However, with the two council meetings being scheduled for November 19, the chancellor will have to give his assent for the senate on November 19 or 20 as the plan has to be submitted to the government on November 21.