5 min readMumbaiMay 4, 2026 05:50 AM ISTBuddhist monk Rajesh Balkhande alias Bhadant Vimansa, a former student of Mumbai University, on Sunday vacated his protest site at the Kalina campus, where he had been staging a sit-in under a tree near the main gate since August 2025, demanding aided status for the Pali department.This dispute escalated into a legal battle before the Bombay High Court, where the university flagged Balkhande’s prolonged occupation of campus space as a violation of rules and a security concern. Balkhande vacated his protest spot ahead of the next hearing in the case before the Bombay High Court, scheduled for Monday May 4. During a hearing on April 29, the court had raised concerns over the prolonged occupation of university space and pulled up the protester, stating that the campus should not be turned into an “akhada”.“I respect the Court and I am vacating the premises as assured,” Balkhande said while leaving the campus. He did not elaborate on his next course of action. Having also vacated his hostel room which had been sealed by the university in February when he began staying at the protest site—Balkhande said, “For now, one of the well-wishers has opened his home for me.”Balkhande alleged that the university had not addressed his concerns or called him for discussions, which he said prolonged the protest. University authorities, however, maintained that multiple discussions had taken place and that the protest violated campus regulations. They also cited safety concerns arising from a steady influx of outsiders visiting the campus to meet him.A former research student in the Marathi language department, Balkhande’s PhD enrolment was cancelled in November 2025 along with several others for failing to complete the programme within the time limits prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). He had first launched a protest in 2023 after being denied a hostel room on age-limit grounds, following which accommodation was allotted. His later protest focused on issues related to the Pali department.“Being a student of the varsity, I am aware of the problems on campus and voiced those concerns, including limited hostel facility on campus or issues of the Pali department,” Balkhande said, also questioning why he was granted an extension to his PhD if it was likely to exceed the permitted time limit, eventually resulting in cancellation of his admission.The university has consistently maintained that Balkhande’s demands were not directly linked to academic requirements and that efforts to resolve the matter through discussions had not yielded results. Officials said the prolonged protest disrupted the academic environment and raised safety concerns, prompting the introduction of stricter entry and exit measures at the Kalina campus, including mandatory identity cards and increased CCTV surveillance. The university also stopped entry of BEST bus route 318 into the campus, citing security reasons.Story continues below this adAccording to officials, some prominent personalities who attempted to visit Balkhande were denied entry due to lack of prior intimation. “However the administration reached out to them inviting for discussions on this matter, but there is no response from them,” an official said, adding, “The university’s image was unnecessarily tarnished.”University authorities further said that a recent inquiry by the minority commission into a complaint filed on Balkhande’s behalf found no discrimination in the PhD admission process and upheld the cancellation of his enrolment as being in line with UGC norms.Faculty members described the issue as complex. “The matter is complex which is why a lot of people on campus kept away from the protest. It began with PhD related concerns such as enrollment which the administration was addressing. However it later shifted to demanding aided status for Pali department, which cannot be resolved immediately. There are also other unaided departments on campus which remain fully functional,” said a professor on condition of anonymity.Another faculty member said the episode had led to clearer PhD regulations, with the university issuing an ordinance aligned with UGC guidelines covering programme duration, admission rules and eligibility.Story continues below this adWhile most students stayed away from the protest, some criticised the university’s decision to restrict entry of the BEST bus. “Due to the varsity’s failure in ensuring safety at the gate, students were forced to walk inside campus,” a student said. Another student supporting the protest added, “Limited hostel facilities at Mumbai University remain a major concern, forcing many students from interior Maharashtra to drop their plans to study at MU as accommodation outside campus is unaffordable.”Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting. Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive: Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses). Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers. Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis). Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students. Credentials & Trustworthiness Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized. Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families. She tweets @Pallavi_Smart ... 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