Sir JJ School of Art, which is the primary institution in Maharashtra for promotion, education and preserving the culture of Art’s is itself an object of neglect by the Director of Art’s, which is leading to the deterioration of the Art’s. Almost 33 out of the 44 posts of Professor’s and Lecturers are lying vacant as per the information provided by Registrar Alka Chavan to RTI activist Anil Galgali. It is a sad plight for the institution which has produced prominent personalities such as Nana Patekar, Amol Palekar, Arundhati Roy to Raj Thackeray.
Galgali had sought information about the total faculty positions and the current status from the Sir JJ School of Art’s. Replying to this query, the Public Information Officer and Registrar Alka Chavan informed that, seven out of the eight posts of the Professors are lying vacant and 26 of the 36 posts for lecturers are also vacant. Similarly six posts of Ad-hoc lecturers and nine post of Contract Lecturers are functional as interim arrangements. The position of Ad-hoc lecturers is functioning since 1993, but after an court order these posts were regularised since 1997. On the query of the authority responsible for filling the vacant positions, it was informed that, the post of Professor’s and Lecturers are filled by the Director of Art’s and Directorate of Art’s.
In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Galgali expressed surprise at the utter neglect shown by the Director of Art’s and the Directorate of Art’s towards the prestigious Sir JJ School of Art and had sought action against them. Simultaneously he demanded that the vacant positions be filled up urgently.
