Principals: "Separate Junior And Senior Colleges To Receive UGC Funds"

The demand to separate the junior and senior colleges was raised at the Senate meeting held on Saturday by the University of Pune. The principals of various city colleges were present in the meeting.

The principals demanded the senate to separate the Junior colleges which are attached to their set up institute. They explained that this decision will ease the burden on senior colleges, its principals, the teaching and non-teaching staffs, college infrastructure.

Also, the principals suggested that, by this it will also become easy to receive the UGC (University Grants Commission) funds in the category for college with potential excellence.

As a result, the Vice Chancellor assured that a proposal would be sent to the School Education Ministry. A principal said "There are several junior colleges attached to the University of Pune (UoP), which are linked to the senior colleges. However, due to the increase in the number of students, the colleges have failed to maintain the merit and the standard."

Mahadev Valher, principal of Annasaheb Magar College, Hadapsar said, "There is a scheme by UGC for the Colleges which have A and B grade given by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) committee. As per the scheme, the colleges receive grants up to Rs. 1 crore. However, this year, UGC had put one condition in which they have mentioned that colleges which are composite, would not be eligible for the funds."

Further, Mahadev Valher had pushed the adjournment motion over the issue and demanded that junior colleges be separated from the senior ones. He said that apart from the new UGC condition, there are several issues of composite colleges.

He said, "The composition of junior and senior colleges were done in 1976 as there were less number of colleges and the number of students were also comparatively less. However, the government while making it composite had clearly stated that this should not continue anymore."

Nandkumar Nikam, Principal of CT Bora College of Shirur said, "Since the number of students in the junior colleges was increasing in every college, the burden on the principals, the teaching and non-teaching staff and the infrastructure of the college is increasing and it is affecting the merit."