Do varsity services come under RTS Act? Yes, but only on paper

Do varsity services come under RTS Act? Yes, but only on paper

Students and alumni of various state-run universities may have to wait for a couple of months more to avail the time-bound delivery of university documents like duplicate degrees, marksheet, migration and eligibility certificates under Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act 2015 (RTS Act). Reason: The alma maters are not yet ready to deliver those services.

Interestingly, the higher and technical education department of Maharashtra has notified the university services under the RTS Act in the gazette on January 18 that stipulates the time limit to issue each document. List of designated officers, first appellate and second appellate authorities at each of 14 public Universities has also been notified.

However, the move is stuck as universities have apparently raised the red-flag citing four major constraints — infrastructure, inadequate power supply, poor internet speed and inadequate staff. Some universities have also sought financial support to execute the plan making government puzzled.

“To end the deadlock, a meeting of all vice-chancellors is being convened very soon,” said a highly-placed official in the department.

The move is aimed to force universities to provide most crucial services to students like retotalling, issuing of migration and eligibility certificate, duplicate marksheet and degree certificate and document verification in a time-bound manner, within 30-45 days.

The rules not only cover universities and affiliated colleges, but also Maharashtra state board of technical education (MSBTE) which covers polytechnics. As per the gazette notification, universities and MSBTE will have to do re-totalling of marks, issuance of duplicate marksheets and degree certificates within 15 days.

Eligibility and migration certificates, score cards of CET (Professional courses) will have to be given within 30 days. Universities will also have to verify documents of students within a month. Document verification is required by students who take up admission in foreign universities or a job abroad and also by employers globally.

Assistant registrar level officials in the universities and system analyst ones in MSBTE have been tasked to deliver the services. If the said services will not be delivered within the stipulated time frame, the candidates can go to first appellate officer. A 30-day period is given for the first appellate officer (Deputy Secretary in MSBTE and Deputy Registrar in Universities) to do the needful.

Source | Daily News Analysis | 8 February 2016