That load will, in fact, increase with he university set to take another 250 colleges under its wings, which will take the number beyond 1,000. A senior management council member said the council had approved 200 proposals for affiliation. “The colleges will be affiliated from the coming academic year,” he said.

The proposal of bifurcation has been under discussion for three years now. The proponents point out that the increasing number of colleges are putting burden on the administration and overall governance of the university. Conducting exams, setting papers and keeping a check on colleges in three districts — Pune, Nagar and Nashik — have become difficult. After much deliberation, the state government had given up the issue some months ago. But as Rajesh Tope took over the charge of Higher and Technical Education Ministry from Dilip Walse-Patil, the issue resurfaced last month with a committee being set up to look into the matter.

Some city colleges are opposing the move, as they fear losing the ‘brand UoP’. “It can be done without losing the brand identity, as the proposed independent university can use the same brand. But the bifurcation is a need of the hour,” said Gajanan Ekbote, the senior senate member. He said it would ease pressure on the administration, thus making the day-to-day work more flexible.

Experts too are opposing the move saying it won’t help. “Instead of bifurcating the university, the departments and affiliated colleges should be given a more autonomous empowered structure so that they would function effectively,” said Arun Nigvekar, former chairman of the University Grants Commission.

“The problem of burden on administration and governance can be solved with the help of technology. For the sake of better administration, there is no need to bifurcate the institution,” he said.