Pune varsity scraps proposed SOPs

SPPU vice-chancellor Prof Suresh Gosavi chaired a meeting with pro-VC Prof Parag Kalkar, director of university security department and other senior officials of SPPU along with members of various student organisations

The proposed SOPs (standard operating procedures) for student bodies prepared by the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) were scrapped by the administration during a meeting held on Monday.

The SOPs were prepared after violent protests by student organisations and political parties on the campus in November. (HT FILE)

The SOPs were prepared after violent protests by student organisations and political parties on the campus in November.

SPPU vice-chancellor Prof Suresh Gosavi chaired the meeting with pro-VC Prof Parag Kalkar, director of university security department and other senior officials of SPPU along with members of various student organisations.

The proposed SOPs prepared by the SPPU state that students have to give five days’ prior notice and get permission from both the university administration as well as the police if they want to protest. But students’ organisations were against such norms.

“All party student organisations were against the SOPs and accordingly expressed our concerns in today’s meeting. Everyone demanded that the rule regarding the permission of the police administration should be cancelled,” said Akshay Jain, chairman, Maharashtra State Youth Congress (media cell).

The SPPU registrar in-charge Prof Vijay Khare announced that the SOPs were suspended for the time being considering the interest of the students.

The office bearers of all organisations assured that they would cooperate to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the university.