The Committees that approve the research have been dissolved and new ones will be formed only after the Act comes into effect
Research work in the Mumbai University has always been a matter of concern. Currently, when University bodies have been dissolved, the absence of Research and Recognition Committees (RRC) and the administration’s apathy, by not providing an alternative arrangement, has led to many researches pending. There are around 185 applications of M Phil and PhD awaiting approvals from 63 subjects.
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As the new Maharashtra Universities Act is awaiting the final nod, universities in the state have not formed new committees after the old ones have been dissolved. The new committees will be formed as per the Act.
This has led to much confusion. Starting from the Senate, many bodies in universities have been dissolved.
The RRC have experts from subjects who approve research topics and finalise evaluators and guides etc. They keep meeting during the entire academic session to study the research proposals and approve them.
A senior Senate member said, “As there is no academic council or board of studies, committee tasks are being carried out by nominated or appointed members on the post. Similarly RRC can also be made functional.
But the university of Mumbai seems uninterested.”
A senior professor in Chemistry who has been a PhD guide for several years, said, “If Mumbai University is compared with others, its apathy will be much clearer. Like in Mumbai University, all the bodies have been dissolved even in other universities. But alternative arrangements have been done until the new Act is implemented. For example, in Pune University, subject experts are given the authority to approve topics for research. This way, even as decision making bodies are not in place, academic activities continue without much problem. But here, research is put on hold because of absence of RRC.”
The issues were raised in an academic council meeting last week. “After realising the issue, it was decided to form a committee of experts to clear research proposals, but there is no development beyond the decision.
No committee is formed yet,” said a member from the academic council. Some academicians have also expressed how this casual attitude by the university has led to many applicants turning to other universities such as Pune to begin their research.
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