Revised univ bill mandates cell to assist differently-abled students

Mumbai: The revised version of the Maharashtra Public Universities Bill 2015 has included provisions for setting up equal opportunities' cell in every state university to assist special children at university level. Though most universities under the state have been extending benefits to differently-abled students, bringing it under the purview of the Universities Act will make it mandatory for all colleges to provide infrastructure, study material, exam concessions and all other benefits needed for their overall development. 

The revised bill was tabled in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. However, discussion on the bill is still pending and may come up only on Monday. While academicians, politicians and other stakeholders have questioned the powers conferred on the vice-chancellor in the previous drafts of the bill, the revised bill that was tabled in the ongoing session, has changed some of the VC-nominated members in the appointment committees to chancellor-appointed members and to the management council - appointed members. "All the committees will now have 50% VC-nominated members and the rest will be nominated by elected members," said higher and technical education minister Vinod Tawde.

About the equal opportunities cell, Tawde said such provisions for special children are being included in the Act for the first time. "Libraries, classrooms, examination sections should be equipped to offer them a comfortable learning experience," said Tawde. The bill also makes it mandatory for universities to set up anti-ragging and prevention of sexual harassment committees.

The revised bill also introduces provisions that enable the formation of cluster universities under the main university. The Act needs to elaborate details on the functioning of such clusters, their autonomy, selection of vice-chancellors," said a department official.

A principal said that there are very few days left for the session to conclude and the government will have to pass the bill somehow. "A lot of academic and administrative work has come to a standstill since September last year. The bill was not passed in the winter session too. Delaying it further is not serving any purpose," said the principal. 

Source | Times of India | 8 April 2016

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