Mumbai: The state may not get any new colleges in the coming academic year after two deadlines to invite applications from college managements were missed during the model code of conduct for the assembly elections. Mumbai University alone submitted a proposal to start new colleges at 15 locations in its jurisdiction, including 13 offering skill-oriented courses.
After the state universities submitted their perspective plans proposing the locations for new colleges for 2025-26 academic session to the govt, the approved ones were to be released back to them, with additions, if any.
After the approval from the state govt, the universities issue advertisements inviting applications from college managements. The managements seeking to start new institutions must apply to the registrar of the respective universities by the last day of Sept every year, as per the Maharashtra Public University Act of 2016. While this deadline was extended till the end of Oct in a cabinet meeting subsequently, the perspective plans with the state’s nod were still not released to the universities, delaying the advertisements.
An official from one of the state universities said the process was stuck as the election code of conduct came into force from mid-Oct. “The process eventually got delayed during elections and then the formation of the new govt. In the meantime, both the deadlines were missed for inviting applications from college managements. Now, it is too late for the state to release the perspective plan and set the process in motion. As per the Act of 2016, the applications of new colleges for any academic year, after scrutiny, have to be sent to the state govt with the management council’s approval by the end of Nov of the preceding year. After this, the state govt also goes through the applications and then issues the letters of intent (LoI) by Jan 31,” said the official, adding that both these deadlines are now missed too.
“It is unlikely now that the govt would issue an extension for multiple steps in the process. But it is also the govt’s discretion,” said another official.
MU’s perspective plan, approved by its senate, proposed new colleges in locations in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Sindhudurg and Palghar districts. A majority of these were to offer skill-based courses, except for one offering traditional courses. For the 2024-25 academic year, the state approved 32 new colleges in the university’s jurisdiction, of which 12 were to offer law courses. Educationists, for long, have been opposing the approval given to new colleges every year, especially in locations where there is no need for institutes offering traditional courses. The perspective plan this year, though, had more colleges with skill courses.
Mumbai: The state may not get any new colleges in the coming academic year after two deadlines to invite applications from college managements were missed during the model code of conduct for the assembly elections. Mumbai University alone submitted a proposal to start new colleges at 15 locations in its jurisdiction, including 13 offering skill-oriented courses.
After the state universities submitted their perspective plans proposing the locations for new colleges for 2025-26 academic session to the govt, the approved ones were to be released back to them, with additions, if any.
After the approval from the state govt, the universities issue advertisements inviting applications from college managements. The managements seeking to start new institutions must apply to the registrar of the respective universities by the last day of Sept every year, as per the Maharashtra Public University Act of 2016. While this deadline was extended till the end of Oct in a cabinet meeting subsequently, the perspective plans with the state’s nod were still not released to the universities, delaying the advertisements.
An official from one of the state universities said the process was stuck as the election code of conduct came into force from mid-Oct. “The process eventually got delayed during elections and then the formation of the new govt. In the meantime, both the deadlines were missed for inviting applications from college managements. Now, it is too late for the state to release the perspective plan and set the process in motion. As per the Act of 2016, the applications of new colleges for any academic year, after scrutiny, have to be sent to the state govt with the management council’s approval by the end of Nov of the preceding year. After this, the state govt also goes through the applications and then issues the letters of intent (LoI) by Jan 31,” said the official, adding that both these deadlines are now missed too.
“It is unlikely now that the govt would issue an extension for multiple steps in the process. But it is also the govt’s discretion,” said another official.
MU’s perspective plan, approved by its senate, proposed new colleges in locations in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Sindhudurg and Palghar districts. A majority of these were to offer skill-based courses, except for one offering traditional courses. For the 2024-25 academic year, the state approved 32 new colleges in the university’s jurisdiction, of which 12 were to offer law courses. Educationists, for long, have been opposing the approval given to new colleges every year, especially in locations where there is no need for institutes offering traditional courses. The perspective plan this year, though, had more colleges with skill courses.
