Aditya Thackeray has demanded the resignation of the Maharashtra Education Minister.
The mess in the Mumbai University's online exam assessment in now snowballing into yet another flash point between the BJP and ally Shiv Sena with its student wing Yuva Sena President Aditya Thackeray demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor of the university and Education Minister Vinod Tawde.
The BJP and the Shiv Sena, which govern the state together, have been increasingly seen taking opposing stands on several issues in recent times. The younger Thackeray met the Maharashtra Governor on Monday morning on the issue and submitted a letter to him. Later, in a series of tweets, he alleged a scam in the manner in which the online admission and assessments have been handled at the university.
"Finally, are the Education Minister and the Vice Chancellor understanding the needs of the MU and education or must they resign?" Mr Thackeray tweeted.
The problems with the online assessment and screening could mean that the university may fail to meet the July 31 deadline for declaring results. This could end up affecting students who are seeking admission into foreign universities and institutions in other parts of the country. "The way online assessment has failed and the amount of money spent, it seems like a major scam. And plays with careers of 17 lakh students," Aditya Thackeray said in another tweet.
Education Minister Vinod Tawde responded by saying, "Aditya Thackeray has said that the Vice-Chancellor and Education Minister must resign. There is only one Vice-Chancellor and that is Sanjay Deshmukh. He also must be asking for the resignation of the Minister of State Ravindra Waikar. The issue of the Registrar's transfer is something we haven't done. It was done by the Centre's Minority Department. We will consider the suggestion of not taking re-checking fees. As the house is in session, we will make announcements on this issue inside the house." Ravindra Waikar, junior minister who looks after Higher and Technical Education department is from the Shiv Sena and Mr Tawde's reply was also a tongue-in-cheek jibe at Aditya Thackeray's comments.
With online assessment at the university taking time, there are fears that the process may spill into mid-August for undergraduate. This has left many students worried. Aditya Thackeray has questioned the transfer of the registrar of the university which happened recently. "MU is now without a Pro Vice Chancellor, Registrar and has an ad hoc controller of examinations and is in the middle of a mess," Mr Thackeray said in one of his tweets.