Library, which used to be open 24/7, will now run only from 9 am to 6.45 pm; it is also closed on second and fourth Saturdays
The varsity library's new timings came into effect on July 1
Barely five months ago, the women students of Mumbai University (MU) earned the right to access the library at Kalina campus 24/7 – a privilege once reserved only for male students. This came after days of protests. In a turnaround, the varsity has now declared that the library will be open for under 10 hours daily, starting July 1.
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As per the notice, the library can be accessed only from 9 am to 6.45 pm and it will remain shut on the second and the fourth Saturday of the month. Also, the facility will be non-functional on public holidays. Not surprisingly, the move has not gone down well with the numerous students who availed of the 24/7 library facility, especially those who reside in hostels.
Speaking to mid-day, an MA student (psychology) said, "The 24/7 library facility was a huge boon for students who preferred to study at night or early in the morning. If you live in a hostel and your study timings don't match with your roommate, it becomes an issue. The library, with the countless reference books, was the perfect solution."
Echoing similar thoughts, an M.Sc. (Chemistry) student said, "I reach the department for our lectures around 11 am, and these continue till 5 pm. These sessions are followed by practicals too. So, there's hardly any time left for me to visit the library."
NCP students' wing president Amol Matele is planning a stir against the varsity administration. "The university has not offered any valid reason for restricting access to the library. We have requested the admin to either give us a viable logic behind the move or revert to the old library timings. If that doesn't happen soon, we will begin a mass agitation."
When contacted, the MU registrar, Dr MA Khan explained that the move was a result of staff crunch. "We don't have enough people to operate the library 24/7. The staff situation is particularly worse due to the monsoon. In any case, it's the beginning of the academic year, so there isn't a lot of pressure on students to study in the library. The 24-hour library facility was temporary. We had decided to keep the facility open throughout the day as it was exam time."
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