More than 100 professors and non-teaching staff of Savitribai Phule Pune University gathered at the campus on Wednesday to raise concerns about alleged external political interference in university affairs following protests over an incident at the women’s hostel. Vice Chancellor Suresh Gosavi assured them that the rights of university employees would be protected.
The meeting, described as unprecedented by the staff, was organised by the Savitribai Phule Teachers Association and the non-teaching staff union. The participants first assembled at the garden behind the university’s main building before moving to Dyaneshwar Hall, where they called upon the Vice Chancellor to address their concerns.
The meeting followed an alleged case of moral policing at the university’s women’s hostel two days earlier. According to the report, two male students entered the hostel premises illegally. Protests by women students after the incident led the Chief Rector and Additional Rector of the hostel to offer their resignations. Both posts were held by university professors.
The university administration said some media reports had incorrectly stated that Rector Soniya Nagrale had resigned and that Additional Rector Pravin Talat had been removed. The administration’s clarification came amid allegations by the teachers’ association that the two students had initially been protected because of political interference, while the resignations of the hostel officials followed externally motivated protests.
The university later filed a first information report against the two students, identified as Pramod Rathod and Omkar Gore, for criminal trespass. The report did not provide details of the investigation or the students’ response to the allegations.
During the meeting, teachers and non-teaching staff alleged that professors holding additional administrative charges were repeatedly pressured to resign through protests backed by political groups. No political organisation was named in the speeches. Staff members also said they were being given additional responsibilities without adequate personnel or the powers required to perform those roles.
The employees alleged that the university administration was responding to protests by surrendering institutional authority instead of supporting staff members during controversies. Speakers included association president Professor Satish Pardeshi, joint secretary Professor Shraddha Kumbojhkar, Dhaneshwar Salunkhe of the non-teaching staff union, and professors Karishma Pardeshi, Sandesh Jadkar and Rajesh Gacche.
In a six-point assurance issued after the meeting, Gosavi said the rights of students, employees, teachers and officers would be balanced. He also assured the staff that there would be no further resignations or suspensions under pressure from any organisation, crowd or group.
The Vice Chancellor further said that university premises would not be used for agitations or events unrelated to the institution. Staff members assigned additional charges would be given the necessary powers along with those responsibilities, according to the assurance.
The staff’s concerns echo an earlier meeting in 2024, when professors met the Vice Chancellor after members of the BJP youth wing allegedly vandalised Lalit Kala Kendra on the university campus. The earlier gathering was smaller and took place in the Vice Chancellor’s office. The latest meeting ended with staff members warning that they would hold further protests if their concerns were not addressed.
