151 MU-affiliated colleges have no principal

Mumbai: Out of 890 colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai (MU), a staggering 151 are operating without a permanent principal, according to a disclosure made by the university during its latest senate meeting. While all the 151 colleges are presently overseen by temporary or ‘in-charge’ principals, 94 colleges have not had a regular principal for over a year, highlighting systemic challenges facing higher education institutions as they navigate reforms outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP).

Professor Hanumant Sutar, a representative of teachers in the senate who raised concerns about these vacancies, outlined three key contributing factors – indefinite delay in government approvals for appointments, unwillingness of college managements to fill the positions due to vested interests, and inability of colleges to identify suitable candidates.

As per rules, while aided colleges need a no objection certificate from the state to appoint a principal, unaided institutes require approval from the university.

Vijay Pawar, a representative of teachers in the senate and the president of Maharashtra Union of Secular Teachers (MUST), said the absence of a regular principal adversely affects colleges.

“An individual juggling additional responsibilities cannot be expected to be as accountable as a dedicated principal,” he said. In-charge principals have to look after administration work as well as conduct 18 lectures in a week, whereas the academic workload of full-time principals is much lesser, at six lectures per week. “So, in-charge principals are struggling to manage the workload,” he said.

A majority of the colleges without full-time principals are unaided institutions, said an official. “Most proposals for appointment of principals in aided colleges were processed during the past few months but appointments for unaided colleges are still pending. They will be processed in due course,” he said.