Nagpur: Not many Nagpurians may be aware, but there is an Institute of all India repute which has its state H.Q in Nagpur – the MAFSU.
There have been some unfavorable reports recently citing many academic posts lying vacant, specially those of Professors.
In an exclusive chat with NT, Dr. Aditya Mishra, Vice Chancellor, who has his office in Nagpur refuted any problems or scarcity of teaching staff.
“It is true we have only 15 Professors at present, and 3 more will be retiring soon, but we will shortly be promoting 39 Asst./ Associate Professors to whole time professors and the process is at a mature stage. We have no problems of funds, or not finding proper people at all!”
In fact, Dr. Mishra, who joined as V.C. only in 2012 said that the Veternary Council of India is so happy with MAFSU’s performance that they have been permitted to double their student seats in most colleges.
Thus Mumbai college strength will go up from 60 to 100; Nagpur from 60 to 80 (approval has been granted already for 100); Shirval, near Pune from 34 to 60 and Udgir from 32 to 65.
What is MAFSU?
The Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University (MAFSU) was formally notified on November 17th, 2000 and was established under the State Act No. 1998 on December 03rd, 2000 with its headquarter at Nagpur. The University has been carved out of the four Agriculture Universities in the state by transferring five Veterinary Colleges, one Post Graduate Institute of Veterinary & Animal Sciences and one Dairy Technology College. Although the University is in its infancy, the constituent colleges were quite old.
Thus beginning with the five Veterinary Colleges, one Post Graduate Institute of Veterinary & Animal Sciences and one Dairy Technology College at different geographical locations of the state in December 2000, University made a commendable progress in developing Fishery Faculty and strengthening Dairy Technology Faculty by establishing two new Fishery College at Nagpur & Udgir and one Dairy Technology College at Udgir.
Each college has some highly specialized and well developed departments which include India’s first Veterinary Nuclear Medicine Center (VNMC) at Mumbai, Embryo Transfer Technology Laboratory and Mineral & Hormonal Assay Laboratory at Akola, Swine Fever Surveillance Center at Nagpur etc. The University draws its major financial support from the State Government’s Annual Grants for meeting its expenses on salaries and recurring and non-recurring expenses relating to the plan and non-plan subjects. In addition, University also receives a major financial support from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research as development grants being a State Agriculture University (SAU). The research projects are supported by DBT, DSIR, MoFPI, DST, NABARD, Pharmaceuticals companies.
Dr. Mishra has studied at both Mathura Veternary College and ICAR New Delhi of which he is a Gold Medalist. He has specialized in Embryo Biotechnology and done creditable work in this field. Among the many positions held in Govt. and private institutes he has been CEO of Sabarmati Gaushala.
When he took over as VC of MAFSU it was in the eye of many controversies and Govt. had frozen all further appointments. He has set the University on the path of progress benefiting many students and Fisheries and Dairy business development too.
