Mumbai University, like many other non-agricultural state universities in Maharashtra will be declaring an interim vacation from April 1 to April 14. (File Photo) Mumbai University, like many other non-agricultural state universities in Maharashtra will be declaring an interim vacation from April 1 to April 14. (File Photo)

Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, Mumbai University, like a couple of other other non-agricultural state universities, has declared interim vacations from April 1 to April 14. It announced that the schedule for exams will be released after April 15, as per government directions and depending on the situation.

Officials of the university plan to conduct exams soon after the lockdown ends, and begin the incoming academic year in June, as per its original schedule. A discussion to this effect took place at the varsity’s management council meeting held on Tuesday, which was conducted online for the first time in the university’s history. The circular announcing interim vacation was released late evening on Tuesday.

On Monday, Savitribai Phule Pune University also issued a circular announcing “interim” vacation from April 1 to April 14 in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the country. If required, faculty members may be called to carry out essential work as per the need of the university or the college, the circular said. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, Raigad, in a recent circular, announced a vacation period from March 15 till April 30, and has rescheduled dates for examination as well. Usually, teachers are given a vacation period of about five weeks and students nearly two months of vacation.

Mumbai University may also opt for academic rescheduling and explore the possibility of preponing the coming academic year, said pro-vice chancellor Dr Ravindra Kulkarni, adding that a decision regarding this will be made in the varsity’s academic council meet.

Meanwhile, a few members of various state universities have written to Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant regarding an extension of the date for submission of proposals. As per section 109 (4) of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, universities are mandated to scrutinise and forward all applications for the start of new courses of study, subjects, faculties, additional division or satellite centres received by it to the state government before or on 1st April every year. However, owing to the lockdown, officials of universities have been unable to scrutinise applications on time.

Over 100 out of 169 proposals received by MU were forwarded to the higher education department on Tuesday evening, a committee was formed for scrutinising the remaining proposals that were found to be deficient. The committee will now be making a report on these colleges, and the university will once again request the department to extend the date of submission of proposals, an official from the university said.

In the meeting held on Tuesday, the university also decided to pay incentive to its contract security personnel and gardeners for providing services despite the present situation, in the form of Rs 10,000 to each worker.

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