The Maharashtra government is exploring ways to revive an old policy that would grant it greater control over government and government-funded institutions. The primary objective is to preserve the academic and administrative autonomy of these institutions while safeguarding government property and assets, according to sources.
Revival of the Board of Society
While these institutions will continue to be managed by their boards of governors (BoGs), the government plans to revive and restructure the dormant Board of Society (BoS) and its functions. As per an earlier resolution, the BoS is headed by the minister of technical education and includes government officials and the institute head as members, said government sources.
A government resolution (GR) from October 2012, referencing older GRs, states that the BoS “decides on all matters regarding acquisition, management and disposal of any immovable property on behalf of the institutions.” The discussions to revive the functions and powers of the BoS are being studied by the department after allegations of misappropriation of government land surfaced. In one case, a leading educational trust in Pune signed a sale deal with a private developer, sources said.
Current Status and Scope
While discussions related to the BoS have taken place, no decision has been made yet, an official said. The 2012 GR also mentions that the BoS will “decide the proposals of BoG for raising and borrowing money on bonds, mortgages, promissory notes or other obligations or securities founded or based on any of the properties and assets of the institution or without any securities… all expenses incidental to the raising of money and to repay and redeem the money borrowed.” It also states that the BoS will approve the fee structure for various programmes of study and take all necessary decisions for the welfare of the institutions.
If revived immediately, the GR would apply only to technical institutions participating in the Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme (TEQIP). This includes autonomous and deemed government and government-funded institutions such as ICT Matunga, COEP, VJTI, Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Walchand College of Engineering in Sangli, and government engineering colleges in multiple locations. For state universities, the government plans to bring amendments to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2015 to implement a similar policy.
Need for Active Oversight
A government official noted that many autonomous institutions function as per the directions of their BoGs and rarely seek approval from the BoS. While there is one case of misappropriation from Pune, there have been other instances of gross negligence leading to encroachment of land in public universities, the official added. “The BoS is almost dormant. No decisions from the BoG are ever consulted with the BoS,” said the official, stressing the need to make the BoS more active.
