Nanded (Maha): Maharashtra Minister for Higher and Technical Education Uday Samant said here on Thursday that he would be visiting student leaders who are opposing a plan to shift the journalism courses running from the Ranade Institute in Pune to the campus of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU).
 
Some student associations have alleged that the varsity is planning to merge the Department of Communication and Journalism at the prestigious Ranade Institute with the Department of Communication Studies on the SPPU campus.

"Student associations have invited me to discuss the issue. I will visit Pune on Saturday. If there is any political motive behind this, it will not succeed," Samant told reporters here.

"I have read news reports that the Ranade Institute is being relocated. This institute has a long history," the minister added.

As per the Pune varsity sources, it is planning to shift the post-graduate journalism course at the Ranade Institute to its campus as it is convenient to have all media-related courses running from the same premises, while diploma courses will continue at the institute, located on Fergusson College Road.

Samant also said that he had asked the vice chancellor, district collector and other agencies to take a unanimous decision about reopening colleges in Nanded.

"The VC and collector told me that the number of COVID-19 cases in Nanded  is very low and we can start the colleges. I have asked them to sit together and send a proposal as to what percentage of students will be allowed to attend classes at a  time. If it is acceptable, we can apply it across the state," the minister said.