Mumbai: Mumbai University (MU) is likely to de-affiliate law colleges that have failed to recruit approved staff, including principals and assistant professors, by a Bombay High Court-mandated deadline.The action follows a self-operative court order in Aug based on an undertaking submitted by the ‘defaulting’ colleges. While MU had penalised 50 law colleges with reduced intake capacity, only 21 had challenged the penalty in court. The action is likely to apply only to these colleges.As per the undertaking signed by the petitioner law colleges, if they fail to comply with the step-by-step programme and the revised timelines agreed upon for the appointment process, MU’s orders or communications challenged in the writ petitions will automatically be revived. These include de-affiliation orders, allowing MU to initiate the necessary proceedings. The case is scheduled for hearing on Monday.Colleges claimed that they had advertised the posts but received few applications, with even fewer candidates joining before the deadline. “Not enough candidates are eligible or are keen on applying. The situation is similar even in aided colleges. Unaided colleges cannot be singled out,” said a principal.
