No: 20 Dated: May, 02 1989

THE YASHWANTRAO CHAVAN MAHARASHTRA OPEN UNIVERSITY ACT, 1989

ACT No. XX OF 1989

    An Act to establish and incorporate an Open University in the State of Maharashtra for the introduction and promotion of the Open University and distance education system in the Educational Pattern of the State.

    WHEREAS it is expedient to enact a law to establish and incorporate an Open University in the State of Maharashtra for the introduction and promotion of the Open University and distance education system in the educational pattern of the State of Maharashtra, as a measure in the decentralisation and reorganisation of University education in that State and to provide for matters connected therewith or supplemental or incidental thereto;

It is hereby enacted in the Fortieth Year of the Republic of India as follows :--

1. Short title and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University Act, 1989.

(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, and the Statutes made thereunder, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(1) "Academic Council" means the Academic Council of the University;

(2) "Authorities" means the authorities of the University specified in section 15 as the context may require;

(3) "Board of Maharashtra" means the Board of Maharashtra of the University;

(4) "Chancellor" means the Chancellor of the University;

(5) "distance education system" means the system of imparting education through any means of communication such as broadcasting, telecasting, correspondence courses, seminars, contact programmes or the combination of any two or more of such means;

(6) "employee" means any person appointed by the University, and includes teachers and other academic staff of the University;

(7) "Finance Committee" means the Finance Committee of the University as constituted under section 19;

[(7-a) "Other Backward Classes" means and includes such classes or parts of or groups within such classes as are declared, from time to time, by the State Government to be Other Backward Classes;]

(8) "Planning Board" means the Planning Board of the University as constituted under section 18;

(9) "Prescribed" means prescribed by the Statutes, Ordinances, regulations or rules made under this Act;

(10) "recognised institution" means an institution established for research or specialised studis and recognised to be so by the University;

(11) "regional centre" means a centre established or maintained by the University for the purpose of co-ordinating and supervising the work of study centres in any region and for Performing such other functions as may be conferred on such centre by the Board of Management;

(12) "regulations" means the regulations made by any authority of the University under this Act;

(13) "Scheduled Castes" means such castes, races or tribes or parts of, or groups within, such castes, races or tribes as are deemed to be Scheduled Castes in relation to the State of Maharashtra under article 341 of the Constitution of India and, for the purposes of this Act, includes Nav-Boudhas;

(14) "Scheduled Tribes" means such tribes or tribal communities or parts of, or groups within, such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed to be Scheduled Tribes in relation to the State of Maharashtra under articles 342 of the Constitution of India residing in any part of the State of Maharashtra and, for the purposes of this Act, includes denotified and nomadic tribes;

(15) "School" means a school of studies of the University;

(16) "Statutes" and "Ordinances" means respectively, the Statutes and Ordinances of the University;

(17) "Student" means a student of the University, and includes any person who has enrolled himself for pursuing any course of study of the University;

(18) "study centre" means a centre established, maintained or recognised by the University for the purpose of advising, counselling evaluation or for rendering any other assistance required by the students;

(19) "teachers" means professors, readers, lecturers and such other persons as may be designated by the Ordinances for imparting instruction in the University or for giving guidance or rendering assistance to students for pursuing any course of study of the University;

(20) "University" means the Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University established under section 3;

(21) "Vice-Chancellor" means the Vice-Chancellor of the University.