PUNE The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), on Friday, issued a circular withdrawing the merger of the Ranade Institute, the university’s Department of Communication and Journalism on Fergusson College road, and the Department of Media and Communication, based inside the university campus.
Several alumni and existing students had met SPPU vice- chancellor Prof Nitin Karmalkar sharing their opposition to the merger.
On Saturday, Uday Samant, state technical and higher education minister will visit Ranade Institute.
The SPPU circular announcing the merger, released last week, stated that department would be renamed as the Department of Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, under the faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies. This circular was not published on the official SPPU website, so when students came to know about it, they immediately formed a “Ranade Bachao Kruti Samiti”, to oppose this decision.
On Friday, SPPU issued a fresh circular, which read, “The decision on the merger of the department was based on the NAC committee guidelines to have a school system in the university and for the students benefit. Also we had consulted senior faculties and experts from the field to take this decision, but as there was opposition to it the merger has been cancelled”.
Kuldeep Ambekar an alumni student and president of Students Helping Hand organisation said, “The notification issued has several points missing. There is no signature of any authority like the vice-chancellor or registrar. It is issued in a hurry just to show the minister who is coming that some action has been taken. We will continue our protests till the official orders are issued and there is no threat to our institute.”
{{/usCountry}}Kuldeep Ambekar an alumni student and president of Students Helping Hand organisation said, “The notification issued has several points missing. There is no signature of any authority like the vice-chancellor or registrar. It is issued in a hurry just to show the minister who is coming that some action has been taken. We will continue our protests till the official orders are issued and there is no threat to our institute.”
{{/usCountry}}