In an embarassment to students and the varsity itself, the RST Nagpur University has retained names of some dead academicians in its guides and website as doctoral research faculty.
Eminent litterateur Manik Ghodgate, popularly known as 'Poet Grace', passed away recently but his name is still listed for PhD aspirants in guide of the arts faculty, as per the varsity's website.
Similarly, former pro-vice chancellor Madhukar Rode died in a freak mishap on November 12, 2010, but is also on the list of PhD supervisors for commerce faculty. Controller of Examinations (CoE) Siddharth Kane admitted that the names of many dead persons were in the list.
"The matter came up for discussion many times but somehow couldn't progress beyond that. It is the responsibility of respective research recognition committees (RRCs) to point it out to the concerned authorities who will then take up the matter in Academic Council," he said.
Senior senate member Anil Dhage, who is also secretary of Nagpur University Teachers Association (NUTA), said this was pure lethargy.
"We have raised the issue many times with higher ups but their response was poor. It is high time that they took such issues seriously as their reputation is at stake," he said.
Dhage said renowned astrologer and international English scholar P.S. Shastri had left the city about two decades ago and expired some years back, but his name was still there in the varsity faculty list.
Many times students called on such persons' home and are left embarrassed when told that the person was no more, he said.
"It's just apathy that such a big institution can't update its website. In fact, it's the responsibility of respective HoDs have all such names removed from the list," he said.