The delay in results is just the tip of the iceberg that spells the mess that is the varsity; the Governor may only scratched the surface
There's more to the never-ending delay in declaring results by the Mumbai University than meets the eye. Vice-chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh, who has been sent on forced leave and is most unlikely to return to the prestigious office, has blamed his failure on sabotage by certain people in the university. Deshmukh has sought more time to submit evidences to establish the serious charge that he has made in an interim explanation to the chancellor of universities and the governor of Maharashtra.
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Deshmukh, who was selected to the post in the initial stages of the BJP government, has undoubtedly faltered in dispensing his duties and now faces an imminent exit. It is not that he is the first in recent times to cause a stir in the elite academic circles of the Mumbai University, a brand in itself.
The brand is so saleable in the market that the successive governments haven't thought of renaming it despite demands, as it has been done with many other universities in the state.
The governments have dismissed the ideas of splitting Mumbai University into two, just because a division would mean that the students who would get degrees from the new varsity, if created and named independently, would not have the privilege of studying in one of India's oldest and progressive universities.
Irreparable harm to reputation
The supporters of Deshmukh should understand that the very failure of the vice-chancellor has already affected the reputation of the institution. The impact has been so adverse that even Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had to have a meeting with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao.
There is so much pressure from the student organisations including the BJP-led outfit ABVP, the Shiv Sena and other major political parties that embarrassed political bosses have no option but to act diligently. Vidyasagar Rao deserves kudos for serving a show cause to Deshmukh and replacing inept people in the university. Unlike his predecessors, the governor has been very aggressive.
The BJP government was accused of shielding Deshmukh, but it had to treat him with kid gloves when he repeatedly missed deadlines and exposed himself in administrative and planning matters. The young academician who is decorated with some extraordinary feats is also labelled as a member of the Sangh Parivaar. The Opposition says that a stint in the Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, an RSS-backed organisation, proves Deshmukh's proximity to the Parivaar. Some academicians, who competed with Deshmukh for the post, continue to say that his appointment was a foregone conclusion. They say that the professor was prompted to apply for the post with a guarantee that no other candidate would be allowed to get there.
Will inquiry reveal truth?
A proper inquiry into charges made by Deshmukh should help the government fix accountability. It's not Deshmukh alone who is responsible for bringing the university into bad repute. He would face the axe for sure, but one should also take his failure as a one-off case because we believe that the Chancellor and the government wouldn't allow anything like this in future. We also believe that the academicians who have been deputed specially for rectifying mistakes would come out with a long-term plan to redeem the varsity's lost glory.
And while they try to nail people involved in an alleged act of sabotage, the governor's office and investigators should also know the dirty politics that academicians in the university have been playing for years together. No university is an exception to this. The campuses in Mumbai and around have turned into infamous addas for playing tricks against each other. Teaching in universities and affiliated colleges (we are not talking composition of syllabus here) is increasingly becoming a grey area. Quality teachers, who are more interested in academics rather than taking up university politics and groupism, are fast losing hope. Some have resigned or sought voluntary retirement. Others have just resigned to their fate.
Deshmukh's failure has given the government a good reason to introspect and correct the appointment process of vice-chancellors and other important officials. There could be no bigger moral victory than admitting a mistake.
Dharmendra Jore is political editor, mid-day. He tweets @dharmendrajore. Send your feedback to mailbag@mid-day.com
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