Missing labs, teachers, entire colleges – why SRTMU Nanded cracked down on BSc admissions

NANDED, MAHARASHTRA: Devidasrao Kalyankar Arts, Commerce and Science College has printed admission pamphlets advertising a Bachelor of Science (BSc) programme and sent staff to nearby villages for enrolment drives for months. But the college in Maharashtra’s Nanded told Academia360 last week that it was admitting students only to its BA and BCom courses. First-year BSc admissions to the college have been paused by the Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University (SRTMU) until it establishes laboratories required for the course.

The college is among 24 affiliated colleges where SRTMU Nanded has suspended first-year BSc admissions for 2026–27, after Academic and Administrative Audit (AAA) inspections found severe gaps in infrastructure and faculty shortage. In some cases, the AAA reports were submitted late.

This follows measures taken in April, when the university suspended first-year admissions in traditional postgraduate programmes in 29 colleges that scored below 40% in the AAA assessment. By June, the number was reduced to seven after colleges were allowed to submit corrected evidence.

The university says the decision is aimed at protecting students from enrolling in institutions lacking basic infrastructure and qualified faculty. “Many colleges have been functioning without proper laboratories and basic facilities required for science education. Students pay fees expecting quality education, but in several colleges they do not even get access to laboratories. We cannot compromise with students’ academic future," said SRTM University registrar DD Pawar.

On its visit to the college, Academia360 found that Devidasrao Kalyankar Arts, Commerce and Science College shares its two-storey building with Ma Jijau Mahila Mahavidyalaya, affiliated to SNDT Women's University. Both had promised BSc courses in admission pamphlets but neither had a lab. While SRTMU has barred Devidasrao Kalyankar College from admitting BSc students, BSc admissions at Ma Jijau Mahila Mahavidyalaya continue. Academia360 also found that some colleges listed in recent SRTMU’s circulars were no longer functioning at their registered addresses.

However, several colleges have objected to the findings, arguing that their poor audit scores were the result of documentation errors rather than inadequate facilities.

SRTMU Nanded Row: Labs most serious concern

Pawar said the university first identified deficiencies in around 74 colleges and gave them several months to improve infrastructure and faculty strength before taking action. “We first reviewed the audit reports and found serious deficiencies in around 74 colleges. We did not immediately stop admissions. Instead, we gave them time to rectify the shortcomings because our priority was that students should not suffer,” he said.

University officials said several colleges upgraded their infrastructure by purchasing laboratory equipment, setting up science laboratories, and completing pending requirements. As a result, the number of colleges under admission restrictions had dropped to 24 by June 2026.

To ensure students already enrolled were not affected, colleges were permitted to conduct practical examinations at nearby institutions with functioning science laboratories.

Devidasrao Kalyankar Arts, Commerce and Science College was one of the institutions where the absence of a science laboratory contributed to the university's decision. Established in the 2022-23 academic year, the college has not enrolled a single student since its inception, according to college staff. “The SRTM University inspection team visited the college and found that we did not have the required science laboratory. They instructed us not to admit students to the BSc programme until the necessary facilities are developed,” Krishna Adhav, a guest faculty member said.

Adhav said the institution shifted to its current 16-room building this year. Earlier, it operated from a seven-room building.

Pawar said inspections also found several colleges lacking qualified principals and approved teaching staff. “A new college may require some time to develop facilities. But if a college has existed since 2002 or 2008 and still does not have proper laboratories, that cannot be justified,” he added.

Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University (SRTMU). (Image: Academia360)

SRTM University: BSc, PG admissions row

The admission restrictions followed nearly seven months of inspections across affiliated colleges in four districts — Nanded, Latur, Parbhani and Hingoli – within the university’s ambit.

The process began in November 2025, when the university directed its 412 affiliated colleges to submit detailed information on teaching and non-teaching staff. In December, institutions were required to upload documents related to laboratory infrastructure, faculty and principal appointments, building ownership and National Assessment and Accreditation Council grades (NAAC accreditation) through the university’s online AAA portal.

The initial deadline of December 30 was extended to February 10, 2026, after requests from colleges. However, many colleges did not complete the process. In March, the university issued another circular identifying over 50 colleges that had still not uploaded the required data and gave them final warning that admissions for 2026–27 could be affected.

Inspection committees then visited colleges that had submitted data. Reports and grades by the university were uploaded in April and colleges were given time to file objections. On April 10, the university also instructed unaided colleges to ensure that at least 50% of sanctioned teaching posts, including principals, were filled with full-time, qualified staff.

SRTMUN stops PG admissions

Eventually, the June 19 circular barred first-year BSc admissions in 24 colleges. Of these, 17 failed to submit their AAA proposals despite repeated reminders, while seven received an “F” grade during inspection. The circular also warned that any violation could result in cancellation of admissions, rejection of exam forms, denial of hall tickets, or withholding of results.

The SRMTUN’s actions were not limited to undergraduate programmes. In April, the university stopped first-year admissions for traditional PG programmes in 29 affiliated colleges that had scored below 40% (Grade F). The audit covered 72 colleges offering traditional PG courses.

However, after allowing colleges to submit corrective evidence, a revised circular issued on June 25 reduced the number of affected institutions. Twenty-two colleges improved their status and were allowed to resume PG admissions, leaving only seven colleges still under suspension.

University officials said the enforcement was necessary after years of weak compliance mechanisms. The inspections also became part of the quality assessment mechanism mandated under the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.

SRTMU Nanded: Missing, closed colleges

But infrastructure gaps aren’t the only problem. Academia360 field visits also raised questions about the colleges themselves as well as the accuracy of university records .

Devashish College "Gargi", Visawa Nagar, Nanded, established in 2008-09, was listed among colleges that did not participate in the AAA process in the university's June 5 circular. However, Academia360 didn’t find the college at the address mentioned in the university records. Instead, an MPSC coaching centre was functioning from the premises, training candidates for the Maharashtra Public Services Commission exams.

Coaching classes at the address listed by the SRTMU. (Image: Academia360)

Similarly, Jai Jawan S.P.M. 's College and Late Laxmanraoji Information Technology College in Nanded could not be found at their listed addresses. Local residents told Academia360 that both institutions had shut down several years ago.

Pawar said it was not possible for the university to physically inspect every institution at once and the inspection would continue in phases. He explained that inspections focused on colleges requiring scrutiny based on records and online submissions and many established and reputed institutions with adequate infrastructure were not physically inspected.

SRTMU Audit: Technical problems with submission

Not all colleges accepted the university’s audit.

Matrubhoomi College in Udgir, Latur, was initially among the institutions barred from admitting students to its MA Education programme after receiving an F grade for postgraduate courses.

College authorities argued that the poor score resulted from errors during the online submission of documents. "The problem was not with the infrastructure. The person handling the online process did not know which documents had to be uploaded. As the documents were missing online, the college received zero marks under several parameters," faculty member Ranjit More alleged.

The college later submitted the required documents offline and was removed from the list of institutions facing PG admission suspension.

However, More also acknowledged that the college does not have a regular principal and is currently functioning under an in-charge principal. He added that all six teaching staff members including him are on contractual basis and there is no permanent faculty, even for the undergraduate courses.

20-year-old computer science, biotech courses impacted

Other colleges have also argued that technical errors and documentation gaps affected their AAA scores.

A staff member at Yeshwant College of Information Technology, Parbhani, who requested anonymity, said the institution’s score fell from 68% to 37.5% because some documents and geotagged photographs were not properly uploaded on the university portal.

“We have been running postgraduate programmes for decades.The issue is not infrastructure, but technical problems in submission and evaluation, " the staff member said, adding that the college is in contact with the university and hopes the issue will be resolved soon.

“We also run BCA and BCS programmes, and many students prefer to continue their higher studies at the same college rather than moving elsewhere. Because of this suspension, they feel uncertain about their academic future,” said the staff member, who is part of the admission committee.

University officials said the university has moved from routine inspections to taking action against colleges that fail to meet standards.

They said that the action is to improve the quality of education rather than penalising institutions.