Pune University Responds to MNS' Demands, Days After Protests Led by Amit Thackeray

Pune: A few days ago, MNS leader Amit Thackeray led a march to Pune University. Through this march, the MNS had drawn the attention of the university administration to the issue of students. Amit Thackeray said that the problems that the university administration can easily solve, which have not been solved in the last many years, have been detrimental to students. "Don't give us false answers. If you want, take some time, but give real answers to the problems and demands of the students," Thackeray had urged the VC. Five days after the march, Pune University Registrar Prof. Dr. Vijay Khare sent a written reply to the MNS. 

Demand: When will the construction of the stalled Marathi Bhasha Bhavan be completed?
Ans: The first phase of the construction of Marathi Bhasha Bhavan has been completed and the university is taking necessary steps to make its actual functioning operational from May 1, 2024. After May 1, Marathi Bhasha Bhavan will be available to citizens and students with necessary preparations. 

Demand: The university needs a new hostel with a capacity of 10,000 students. When will new hostels be built?
A: The university currently has accommodation for approximately 1,520 boys and 1,511 girls and some hostels are in the final stages of construction. There is a time-bound effort to more than double the capacity of available hostels in the next 4-5 years. 

Demand: Stop the practice of asking students for hard copies of documents. Make the paperwork process online. 
Ans: The entire online process for obtaining documents like degree certificates, mark sheets, transcripts, secondary mark sheets, etc. has been made operational, and hard copies of the documents will be sought after the upcoming examination board meeting.

Demand: When Nashik and Nagar are sub-centers, students there should not have to come to Pune for documents. Start an employment-oriented course there. 
Ans: The work of Nashik and Ahmednagar sub-centers of the university is going on at a fast pace and we are proposing employment-oriented courses there. The facilities required by the sub-center will be made operational before the start of the next academic year. 

Demand: Why are Vishakha committees not functioning in the college? Include students in such committees. 
Ans: Reminders have been sent to colleges to set up vishakha committees and the committee has been constituted as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission and its reimbursement report will be sent to the university. 

Demand: Stones and cockroaches are found in the food of students living in hostels, when will the quality of food in the mess improve?
Ans: We are implementing a special system to improve the quality of food in the University of Pune's eatery and to take care of cleanliness. 

Demand: University should make conscious efforts to rescue college students from drug menace 
Ans: Regarding the issue of drugs, every college affiliated with the university has appealed to them to take precautionary measures at their own level to keep their students away from the menace of drugs and implement awareness programs and counseling activities for the students on priority. 

In the letter, the MNS said it hoped that the Pune University administration would follow every word given to MNVS to solve the problems of the students and now take immediate steps towards preventing injustice against the students.