PUNE: Senate members lashed out at the university authorities for not taking strict action against Sinhgad Institutes’ issue of non-payment of teaching and non-teaching staff, during the Senate meeting held at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) on Saturday.

Pankaj Miniyar, a Senate member and professor at Sinhgad Technical Education Society (STES) College, raised questions on what steps SPPU has taken to pressurise the STES management to clear the payments of employees. Balasaheb Agarkar, another senate member, questioned that when All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) arrived from Delhi to investigate the matter at Sinhgad Institutes, why was SPPU not prompt in taking action.

Rajesh Pande, member of the management council, assured that the university will take all possible action against the institute. Vice Chancellor of SPPU Nitin Karmalkar said that a committee will be established. 

“We will constitute a committee to analyse what went wrong at Sinhgad Institutes and how can it be rectified so that a similar situation is not repeated in any other college,” said Karmalkar.

Agarkar further suggested that the university should monitor that fees collected from existing students for next year’s admission to higher classes is used for staff remuneration at the colleges, to which, VC acknowledged and assured the issue will be resolved soon.