Around a dozen inquiry panels set up at Nagpur University remain stuck in files

The functioning of Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Nagpur University has always been in the news. A new question has now been raised: more than a dozen committees formed to investigate and study various demands and matters are still lying in files. Some committees have never met, while others have not even been able to fix an agenda. As a result, the real situation is not coming to light, and fingers are also being raised at the credibility of the administration.

The university has 39 postgraduate departments and runs three colleges itself. The administration has made all of them autonomous. A fact-finding committee was formed at a Senate meeting last year to look into the condition of the departments, the shortage of professors and students, and measures to increase student numbers. But the committee's work has not moved forward so far.

The effect is visible. In several departments, not even half the sanctioned intake has been admitted. Many university cases are pending in court, and students also file petitions from time to time. A committee was formed to review the current status of these pending cases and to dispose of them. Another committee was set up to review the work affected by the shortage of officials.

The story is the same in the matter of financial irregularities. Two committees, not one, were formed to investigate the alleged financial irregularities of the then sports director, Sharad Suryavanshi. Even so, the truth has not come out so far, and Suryavanshi has meanwhile retired. More than a year has also passed since a committee was formed over Coempt, the company handling online examinations, yet no action has been taken. Committees are formed with great enthusiasm, but nearly all of them remain buried in files.

The main reasons for the delays have been listed. The first is a lack of will. Often the university administration or the officials concerned show no interest in investigating sensitive matters, or follow a policy of delay. The second is a lack of coordination. Because members of different departments or committees do not coordinate with one another, even the agenda of meetings cannot be fixed.

The third reason is pressure politics. In many cases, files are put in cold storage under political or administrative pressure so that no one has to be held accountable. The fourth is that the inquiry committees have few staff and resources, and a shortage of administrative personnel also causes files to stall.

The consequences have also been listed. These committees are formed to investigate financial irregularities, academic corruption and other disputes, but when justice is not delivered on time, the complainants lose faith. When no action is taken, wrongdoers in effect get silent protection and their confidence grows. Questions arise about transparency, and the university's reputation and academic atmosphere suffer.