Hatekar returns, (mis)management issues remain
Mumbai University's decision to revoke the suspension of Professor Neeraj Hatekar and proceed with a departmental inquiry against him shows that the management had acted in haste and possibly without taking into account the gamut of options available through due process, when it had penalised him. Either way, it is a welcome move for it resolves the immediate crisis that had erupted following Mr Hatekar's suspension on January 4. The university's knee-jerk response infuriated many, leading to a fortnight of intense protests at the Kalina campus. Students sported black bands and came out in large numbers to express solidarity with Mr Hatekar, who is evidently a much-respected professor. Such was the situation that students convinced Mr Hatekar to hold classes right opposite the university premises. But even as they now welcome him back on campus, it is clear that the fight is far from over, as neither Mr Hatekar's supporters nor members of the management feel that justice has been done. The former argue that not only do the charges against Mr Hatekar still stand, the university has also refused to take into consideration the allegations of mismanagement. led by Prof Hatekar, the Joint Action Committee for Improvement of Higher Education has accused Mumbai University of several irregularities. These included failing to collect its share of annual student fees from colleges, appointing unqualified members to boards of studies, diluting the qualifications for being a PhD guide and indulging in malpractices in the conduct of examinations. On its part, the management has trashed these allegations. It has defended its suspension decision on the ground that the professor had violated the code of conduct by misinforming the media during his Press conference on December 12, 2013. Finally, it has also made clear that Mr Hatekar was recalled only in response to “public outrage” and keeping in mind “student welfare”.
Hopefully, the fact-finding committee set up to probe Mr Hatekar's conduct and investigate the 16 issues raised by him will take the matter to its logical conclusion. legalities surrounding the Press conference notwithstanding, few will deny that there is significant disenchantment within the student and faculty communities with the Mumbai University management. Proof of this lies in the tremendous support that has come in for the professor from all quarters. For example, one of the State's teaching unions has described the management as an “insensitive, corrupt and irresponsible bureaucratic machinery”.