Ending weeks of speculation, Maharashtra Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao on Tuesday finally sacked Mumbai University's Vice Chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh from his post over the latter's "gross negligence and failure" to declare on time the results of the examinations held in the summer of 2017.
Invoking the powers conferred upon him under Section 11(14)(e) of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, the Governor removed Deshmukh from his post as the Mumbai University's VC, "for his gross negligence and failure in implementing the On-Screen Marking system, to declare the results of examinations held in Summer-2017 within the time limit prescribed in the Act and for his failure to comply with the directions issued by the Chancellor from time to time, regarding early declaration of results".
Under Section 89 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, the University is mandated to declare results preferably in 30 days and in no case beyond 45 days.
Rao, who in his capacity as the Governor is chancellor of all universities in Maharashtra, had repeatedly pulled up Deshmukh for the inordinate delay in the declaration of results which derailed the careers of thousands of students seeking admissions to higher courses, admission to foreign universities, appearing for various competitive examinations, besides causing great mental agony to them, parents and other stakeholders.
At the height of the crisis over the delay in the declaration of results, Deshmukh had suddenly proceeded on leave on August 9 "for personal reasons", thus sparking intense speculation about his impending removal from the post.
Of the total 477 examinations conducted by the University of Mumbai, results of only 51 examinations had been declared till early July this year. Even out of these 51 examinations, results of only 23 examinations had been declared within 30 days while results of 18 examinations were declared within 45 days. All other results were delayed beyond the statutory limit of 45 days.
In its first of its kind directive, the Governor had on July 4 asked the Vice-Chancellor to set up a war room at his level, at which the Vice-Chancellor along with other functionaries of the Universities, would monitor the progress regarding the declaration of results in real time.
Following up on his July 4 directive to the University's vice chancellor to declare all pending results by July 31, Rao had on July 24 observed that any delay in the declaration of results would affect the future career of students and cause serious unrest in their minds.
Earlier the Vice Chancellor presented a 'Status Report' of the On-Screen Marking System of evaluation of all the examinations and explained about the steps being taken by the University to declare the results within the given deadline.
The Vice Chancellor informed the Governor that declaration of 4 days of non-instruction for teachers would enable them to devote full time for assessment work, resulting in the speedy completion of assessment.
The delay in the declaration of the Mumbai University results had landed the Governor in acute embarrassment. So much so that the Opposition Congress in Maharashtra had on July 29 demanded that Maharashtra Governor and Chancellor of Universities Ch Vidyasagar Rao accept his "moral responsibility" and resign from his post.
Among other things Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) general secretary Sachin Sawant had charged that the Governor had appointed Deshmukh as the Vice Chancellor merely on the basis of the fact that the latter was linked Rashriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
"By ignoring the claims of several more experienced and capable people, the Governor in his capacity as the Chancellor of University chose to appoint Deshmukh as the vice chancellor of the Mumbai University solely on the basis of his (Deshmukh's) three years' experience of working in the RSS-linked Rambahu Mhalgi Prabodhini. Though his ineffective governance, the thus vice chancellor of the Mumbai University (Deshmukh) has put the careers of lakh students in a jeopardy," Sawant had said.