Mumbai: 6 additional autonomous colleges affiliated with Mumbai University have been granted the status of Empowered Autonomous Colleges. The Management Council approved this status based on the recommendation of the recent Vidya Parishad meeting. This brings the total number of such colleges to 18, up from the previous 12.
The Newly Empowered Colleges
1. D. J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Vileparle
2. R.A. Podar College, Matunga
3. Thakur College of Science and Commerce, Kandivali
4. Model College, Dombivli
5. NM Commerce and Economics College, Vileparle
6. College of Social Work, Nirmala Niketan, Marine Lines
The empowered autonomous colleges will get freedom for ancillary matters such as starting PhD courses, fee structure of courses with the approval of the university. Empowered autonomous colleges will also get the opportunity to restructure the courses running in the empowered autonomous colleges, change the names of the courses as per the nomination of the University Grants Commission, prescribe the method of evaluation, announce the results, and award the mark sheet.
As per the Section 123 of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, the Government of Maharashtra issued regulations on May 22, 2023, outlining standards and procedures for granting Empowered Autonomous College status. Mumbai University invited applications for this status on May 15, 2024. Out of seven applications received, six were approved by the Management Council based on the Vidya Parishad's recommendation.
According to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ravindra Kulkarni, the status is granted for ten years, starting from the 2024–25 academic year. He said, “The highest number of applications by autonomous colleges affiliated with the University of Mumbai for Chartered Autonomous College status is a welcome development; it reflects the progressive approach of these colleges in the field of education."
