After online assessment mess, Mumbai University VC Sanjay Deshmukh asked to resign

Deshmukh was sent on indefinite leave in the first week of August for missing deadlines set up by the Governor for declaring exam results.

After the Maharashtra intelligence wing in its report ruled out the possibility of sabotage behind the goof-up in the online assessment of answer papers that resulted in an unprecedented delay in declaring exam results by the Mumbai University (MU), Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has reportedly decided to remove university vice chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh from the post, holding him responsible for the mess.

MU is facing flak for the unprecedented delay in declaring results of most courses (HT File)

Deshmukh met the Governer on Sunday and requested Rao to allow him to resume duties. Instead, the governor asked him to resign or face dismissal from the position, the sources said.

Deshmukh was sent on indefinite leave in the first week of August for missing deadlines set up by the Governor for declaring exam results.

“The provisions of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act empowers the Governor to sack vice chancellors. With the ultimatum, Deshmukh is left with no choice but to resign soon,” said a senior official requesting anonymity.

The MU is facing flak for the unprecedented delay in declaring results of most courses, risking the future of thousands of students. Even after almost five months, results of more than 11,000 students are yet to be declared.

Deshmukh had suspected sabotage behind the fiasco. He had sent a letter to the governor, raising doubts over it and requested him to initiate a probe to ascertain the fact.

The Governor decided to verify his claims and asked the state intelligence commissioner Sanjay Barve to investigate and submit a report. Following instructions, the intelligence commissioner probed the matter and found that there was no case of sabotage involved. The report was recently submitted to the Governor.

HT on August 13 had reported how the state government had opposed the idea of adopting the OMS in one go, and had advised the university vice-chancellor to introduce the system gradually, in phases. However, Deshmukh went ahead with the same against the government’s advice.