SPPU’s senate meeting demands forensic audit

The biennial senate meeting of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), held on Sep 30 and Oct 1, turned stormy as members demanded a forensic audit of the university's finances following its drastic fall in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).

- Abhijit Sherekar

SPPU dropped to the 9Ist position in 2025, from 2Ist in 2024.

The two-day session at Sant Dnyaneshwar Hall, presided over by Vice Chancellor Suresh Gosavi along with Pro-VC Parag Kalkar and Acting Registrar Jyoti Bakhre, saw heated exchanges on budgetary matters, financial irregularities and administrative lapses.

Audit demand over alleged corruption

Senate member Vinayak Ambekar accused the former VC and the Sports Department of corruption, misappropriation of funds and financial impropriety. He alleged that between 2017 and 2022, the then VC arbitrarily raised spending limits through repeated promulgation of ordinances, bypassing the management council in violation of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.