Varsity planning steps to becoming a gender-safe hub, 'think tank': Gade

PUNE: University vice-chancellor W N Gade revealed the varsity's initiative of a district and tehsil level outreach programme on laws against sexual harassment and ragging from next year.
Gade was addressing the senate meeting held in the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) campus on Saturday when he announced the venture. "Making students aware about their rights about these issues is the need of the hour," he said.
The university has also planned to create a vision document for SPPU's goals for the next 10 years. The senate meeting was held only for half a day as elections for new representatives were cancelled for this academic year. Only those who are senate members owing to their post in the university were present.
"SPPU has achieved the third place amongst all Indian universities in the world university ranking. We are one of the universities with the highest budget of Rs 600 crore per year, yet we lag behind universities like Punjab University which has a Rs 200 crore budget and Jadavpur university in research. This needs to be corrected and more and more attention should be given to research by both students and teachers," said Gade.
This year, the university has already received 76,000 applications online for convocation ceremony. "This year onwards, the convocation ceremony for under graduate courses will be held at college level while the convocation ceremony of post graduate students will be held in the university."
Gade also said that there are 212 teaching posts vacant in the varsity. "The advertisement inviting applications against 212 teaching posts is already out and we are positive that the posts will be filled in within two months," he said.
He also said that the varsity has received Rs 30.85 crore from the University Grants Commission, Union government, state government and other institutes for various initiatives. "Proposals have also been sent to respective ministries to start special skill development centres for minorities and areas with high tribal population," said Gade.