University heading for prolonged confrontation in coming days

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The administration of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathawda University (Bamu) is heading towards prolonged confrontation with students and teachers unions in the coming days if the recent incidents of conflicts are to be believed.

It may be noted that the Governor and chancellor of universities Ramesh Bais appointed Dr Vijay Fulari as the new vice chancellor of Bamu on January 23, 2024. His appointment was necessitated as the tenure of VC Dr Pramod Yeole ended on December 31, 2023. Dr Fulari took the charge of the post on January 24. Several incidents took place on the campus. The students and teachers' unions sought action against the miscreants.

The administration lodged a complaint against the students unions who were demanding action against the miscreants. Moreover, when some teachers unions requested the administration to make a complaint against miscreants and withdraw the complaint lodged against the students' union.

The teachers also sought to what measures were taken from the safety point of view after those incidents on campus. Angry over this, the administration sent a notice to the teachers' unions seeking clarification in seven days. This created a conflict between the administration and student-teachers. Even the officers of Bamu are not allowed to give comments in the media.

It appears that the administration is not ready to listen to students and teachers for their grievances. Students are one of the major stakeholders of the univeristy. The students and teachers said there was going to be a confrontation in the coming days if the administration does not listen to them.

When contacted general secretary of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada Univeristy and College Teachers Organisation (BAMUCTO) Dr Maroti Tegmupure said that the student and teacher are the soul of the university in a real sense.

“The university administration has to understand the problems of students and teachers. An education institute cannot move ahead if it does not want to solve stakeholders' problems. This will create a communication gap which is not in the interest of society and educational institutes. So, the administration should listen positively to students and teachers unions frequently for their problems,” he added.

Sachin Nikam (Marathwada President, Republican Vidyarthi Sena) said that the university administration is taking an anti-democratic decision. “The Vice-Chancellor should not exceed the limits of his duties. If he is trying to stop the agitators with a particular ideology, this decision may face opposition. A protest will be held against this by defying police orders,” he said.

Nikam said that they are going to file a writ petition in the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court for denying the right to protest in the constitutional way given by the Constitution of the country. He hoped to get justice for the students.

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There are 55 departments in the city and Dharashiv sub-centre of the university with over 1500 students pursuing education in the current academic year. There are over 450 affiliated colleges in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Beed, Jalna and Dharashiv districts with 3.50 lakh students.