Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016
No: 6 Dated: Jan, 11 2017
THE MAHARASHTRA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ACT, 2016
ACT No. VI OF 2017
An Act to provide for academic autonomy and excellence, adequate representation through democratic process, transformation, strengthening and regulating higher education and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for academic autonomy to non-agricultural and non-medical universities in the State of Maharashtra and to make better provisions therefor;
AND WHEREAS the Government of Maharashtra had appointed committees under the Chairmanships of Dr. Arun Nigvekar, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Dr. Ram Takwale and Late Mrs. Kumud Bansal with a view to consider and recommend on different aspects of higher education and learning and to suggest various measures to ensure such automomy;
AND WHEREAS after considering the recommendations of the said committees the Government of Maharashtra considers it expedient to make a law to provide for academic autonomy and excellence, adequate representation through democratic process, transformation, strengthening and regulating higher education and to regulate the non-agricultural and non-medical universities in the State of Maharashtra in more effective manner, to provide for participation of universities in social and educational spheres, to establish Maharashtra State Commission for Higher Education and Development, to constitute various Boards, and to repeal the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994;
It is hereby enacted in the Sixty-Seventh Year of the Republic of lndia as follows:—
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint
2. Definitions:- In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(1) “academic services unit” means university science and instrumentation centre, academic staff college, computer centre, university printing press or any other unit providing specialized services for the promotion of any of the objectives of the university;
(2) “adjunct professor”, “adjunct associate professor” or “adjunct assistant professor” means a person from industry, trade, agriculture, commerce, social, cultural, academic or any other allied field who is so designated during the period of collaboration or association with the university;
(3) “affiliated college” means a college which has been granted affiliation by the university;
(4) “authorities” means the authorities of the university as specified by or under this Act;
(5) “autonomy” means a privilege of the university conferred by the Statutes to permit a college, institution or a university department to conduct academic programmes and examinations, develop syllabus for the respective subjects and issue certificates of passing the examinations;
(6) “autonomous college”, “autonomous institution” or “autonomous department” means a college, institution or department to which autonomy is granted and is designated to be so by the Statutes;
(7) “bodies” means the bodies of the university formed by the respective authorities;
(8) “Chancellor” and “Vice-Chancellor” means, respectively, the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor of the university;
(9) “choice based credit system” means the curricular system that offers multiple interdisciplinary choices for students to select from the courses (core, elective or minor or soft skill courses) to accumulate credits as prescribed in Statutes;
(10) “cluster university” means the cluster university established under sub-section (6) of section 3 of the Act;
(11) “collaboration” means collaborative academic activity of the university or college or institution with other universities, academic institutions including local, regional, national or international institutions, research institutions and organizations in the field of agriculture, industry, trade and commerce, sports, social, cultural, science, technology and any other field;
(12) “college” means a college affiliated to the university, situated in the university area or jurisdiction;
(13) “College Development Committee” means the College Development Committee constituted under section 97 of this Act;
(14) “Collegium of Heads of Department of Affiliated Colleges and recognized institutions” means an electoral college consisting of heads of departments from affiliated colleges and recognized institutions who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the concerned authorities;
(15) “Collegium of Graduates of the University” means an electoral college consisting of registered graduates of the university, who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the different authorities;
(16) “Collegium of Management Representatives” means an electoral college consisting of representatives of management committees of affiliated or autonomous colleges or institutions who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the different authorities;
(17) “Collegium of Principals” means an electoral college consisting of fulltime approved Principals and Directors of recognized institutions who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the different authorities;
(18) “Collegium of Teachers” means an electoral college consisting of fulltime approved teachers from affiliated and autonomous colleges and recognized institutions, who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the different authorities;
(19) “Collegium of University Teachers” means an electoral college consisting of fulltime teachers from University Departments, University Institutions, and Conducted Colleges appointed by university who shall elect from amongst themselves as members to the different authorities;
(20) “Commission” means the Maharashtra State Commission for Higher Education and Development constituted under section 76 of this Act;
(21) “community college” means an institution providing skill-based academic programs as prescribed in the Statutes;
(22) “conducted college” means a college maintained and managed by the university;
(23) “De-notified Tribes (Vimukta Jatis)” means tribes declared as such by the State Government, from time to time;
(24) “department” means a department teaching a particular subject or a group of subjects in a college or an institution as prescribed in the Statutes;
(25) “Director” means a head of an institution including a centre or a school of the university as designated by the Management Council or a head of a recognized institution;
(26) “Director of Higher Education” and “Director of Technical Education” means respectively Director of Higher Education, Maharashtra State and Director of Technical Education, Maharashtra State;
(27) “Empowered Autonomous College” means an autonomous college that is identified by the University Grants Commission as College with potential for Excellence or College Excellence, which has high level grade as specified by the Government by notification in the Official Gazelle as has been given the status of Empowered Autonomous College by the Authority under the Statutes, with a power to grant degree of such College jointly with the affiliating University;
(28) “Empowered Autonomous Cluster Institutions” means a group of autonomous Colleges or institutions of the same management or educational society which includes the colleges or institutions, identified by the University Grants Commission as College with potential for excellence or College of excellence, which have high level grade as specified by the Government by-notification in the Official Gazette as has been given the status of Empowered Autonomous Cluster Institution by the Authority under the Statutes, and is empowrered to grant a joint degree with the affiliating University;
(29) “Empowered Autonomous Skills Development College” means, a college which has been recognized by the university for conducting the skills development programmes as prescribed by the university as per the National, State Level policy regarding Skills Qualification and Education Framework and which is given the status of Empowered Autonomous Skills Development College by the university to which it is affiliated and is empowered to grant a joint degree, certificate, diploma and advanced diploma with the affiliating university;
(30) “fee” means tuition fees, other fees and charges, including developmental charges;
(31) “Head of the University Department”, “Head of the Institution” and “Head of the College Department” means respectively, a Head of the University Department, a head of the recognized institution and a head of the college department, as prescribed in the Statutes;
(32) “higher education” means the pursuit of knowledge beyond learning at the stage of higher secondary school education;
(33) “Hostel” means a place of residence for the students of the university or a college or an institution, provided, established, maintained, by the university or college or institution, as the case may be;
(34) “institution” means an academic institution of higher learning, not being a college, associated with and admitted to the privileges of the university;
(35) “inter-disciplinary studies” means the combined academic studies and research in different disciplines as prescribed by statutes;