State holds public meetings to resolve students’, administration issues

In an attempt to resolve the crisis, Uday Samant, minister of higher and technical education has begun an initiative called ‘public meetings’ to resolve issues faced by students, faculty, non-teaching staff and college administrators.

The educational institutes which were closed for nine months due to the Covid-19 pandemic have now gradually began reopening after the unlock process ushered in. However, students, faculty, non-teaching staffers, college administration and universities across the state are facing issues for which they needed to go either to Mumbai at the state higher and technical education head office or Pune at the department’s directorate office.

But, the public meetings will now let the educators give an opportunity to resolve their issue in their hometown.

The first of its kind program was held at Shivaji University, Kolhapur, where a total of 2,764 issues were resolved of 3,635.

While studying or working in the field of education, there are many issues people face which needs to be addressed by the state education department.

In order to get their issue resolved, the people in the education sector had to go to Mumbai or Pune. Now, the initiative will provide them with a solution across the state at all state universities.

“While conducting these public meetings I will be accompanied by the department’s chief secretary, secretary, director, deputy directors, vice-chancellor of that university and senior officials from Mantralaya. The idea is to meet the public at their hometown and try to resolve their pending issues immediately or as early as possible. Today, we started with the first public meeting in Kolhapur University and there was a great response. Of the total 3,635 pending issues, 2,764 were resolved today,” said Samant.

“Similar kind of public meetings will now be organised at other universities in the state. For the Savitribai Phule Pune University, two separate public meetings will be held - one in Pune and the other in Nashik district,” added Samant.

Welcoming the decision of state higher and technical education department, Prof Pralhad Keni said, “While working in the field of education everyone right from students, their parents, teaching and non-teaching staff and college administration faces many issues. They want them to be solved immediately, but everyone cannot afford to go to Mumbai or Pune to get their work done. And work is also done after repeated follow-ups, so it is good that minister along with senior officials is taking such public meetings.”