Maharashtra appoints administrator for seven Sinhgad colleges over salary payment defaults

PUNE: The Maharashtra government has taken over the management of seven colleges run by the Sinhgad Technical Education Society in Pune and appointed an administrator for three years due to prolonged non-payment of salaries and retirement benefits to employees as well as alleged mismanagement. An order issued by the Directorate of Higher Education on Thursday said management of the seven permanently unaided colleges would be taken over under Section 3(1) of the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Management) Act 1976 for a period of three years.

The Divisional Joint Director of Higher Education, Pune division, has been authorised to function as the administrator on behalf of the Director of Higher Education and oversee the functioning of these institutions, it added. The decision follows several complaints by teaching and non-teaching staff over non-payment of regular salaries, pensionary benefits and arrears under the Sixth and Seventh Pay Commissions for several years.

According to the order, employees had approached Bombay High Court through multiple petitions and contempt proceedings seeking payment of their dues. Despite directions issued by the court in July 2025 and August 2026, and repeated instructions from the Higher Education Department, the society allegedly failed to clear the outstanding salaries. The order also noted that more than 13 employees had died by suicide amid the financial distress arising from prolonged non-payment of salaries and other dues.

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The HC had taken serious note of these incidents in its November 3 order and expressed displeasure over the society's functioning and delays in salary payments during a hearing on November 4. The Directorate of Higher Education had issued a show-cause notice to the society on November 5, asking why the management of the colleges should not be taken over in the public interest, particularly to protect students' academic interests.

However, the society did not submit any response, the order stated. The decision also follows a November 10 order of the HC directing the Directorate of Higher Education, Pune, and the Directorate of Technical Education to take appropriate steps in accordance with law against other defaulting institutions.

The seven colleges covered by the government order are Sinhgad College of Law, Ambegaon; Shrimati Kashibai Navale College of Education, Kusgaon, Lonavala; Sinhgad College of Arts and Commerce, Narhe; Nivrutti Babaji Navale College of Commerce and Science, Kusgaon, Lonavala; Sinhgad College of Commerce, Kondhwa; Shrimati Kashibai Navale College of Commerce, Erandwane; and Sinhgad College of Science, Ambegaon (Budruk). The order was issued by Dr Shailendra Deolankar, Director of Higher Education, Maharashtra.