Educational bodies in the city have teamed up and decided to approach the Bombay High Court on the issue of change in eligibility criteria to become an administrative member of any governing body of the state university. The educational body believes that candidates who have caliber lose the opportunity and are left out due to impractical norms.

While speaking to reporters here in the city, Dhananjay Kulkarni, convener of the body, Vidyapeeth Vikas Manch (VVM), said,

Owing to the government decision, many deserving candidates will lose their opportunity to become members of governing bodies, which will affect the smooth functioning of these bodies. We oppose the ordinance and are planning to file a writ in the Bombay High Court in the second week of January.

The move came after the announcement made by University of Pune for the online registration for elections of the various governing bodies across the state. The election for the governing body of UoP is scheduled in August 2010. University of Pune has put on the related information on the varsity’s website.

State government had issued the guidelines regarding the criteria to contest the election and become a member of various governing bodies of the state universities. As per the changed norms, anyone aspiring to contest the election should posses PhD degrees as eligibility criteria.

The Vidyapeeth Vikas Manch has objected over the newly set up norms, stating that PhD should not be the criteria to be governing body member.

Moreover, the criteria will create monopoly of certain sections that will harm the democratic functioning of these bodies

the VVM argued.

Teachers and principals from all over the state have demanded that government should roll back its decision. The VVM carried out campaign against the rules and regulations. The members of the VVM approached State Higher Education Minister Rajesh Tope the same and requested to rethink over the issue.

The issue was also discussed in the Winter Session of the Assembly, but no decision was taken. So, we have now decided to move the High Court

Kulkarni said adding that Tope has assured that he will look in the subject.