Pune: The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has omitted the Special Backward Class (SBC) reservation from the State Eligibility Test (SET), which determines eligibility for Assistant Professor positions. The decision has sparked discontent among students from the SBC category, as they now have to apply under the open (general) category.
SET Exam to Be Held on June 15
The 40th SET Exam is scheduled to be conducted on June 15, and Pune University is serving as the nodal agency for Maharashtra and Goa. The examination will take place at various centers across 18 cities, including Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Solapur, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Dhule, Jalgaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nanded, Amravati, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Ratnagiri, Parbhani, Nandurbar, and Panaji (Goa).
SBC Reservation Omitted in Eligibility Criteria
Until last year, the SET exam brochure included SBC reservation as part of the eligibility criteria. However, this year, the reservation policy does not mention SBC, forcing students to apply under the open category.
One of the affected students expressed frustration, saying: “Last year, we were eligible under the SBC reservation while applying for the SET exam. But now, the new eligibility criteria have completely removed SBC reservation, leaving us with no option but to apply as general category candidates.”
University Cites Supreme Court and UGC Directives
Regarding the issue, Dr. Jyoti Bhakre, Acting Registrar of SPPU, clarified that the decision was based on directives from the Supreme Court and the University Grants Commission (UGC).
She stated: “As per the orders of the Supreme Court, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued instructions to the university. In compliance with these directives, the SBC reservation has not been included in the SET exam process.”
