PU withdraws circular on standing panel

Chandigarh, January 16

After issuing orders on Panjab University (PU)’s standing committee, the varsity administration withdrew the circular by evening today. Earlier too, Syndicate had forced the ouster of Dean (Research) for ignoring seniority and also disbanded the committee formed to overlook the working of the office of Controller of Examination (CoE).

In the standing committee’s case, some teachers felt that only a faculty member of the PU should be heading it. Also, it was pointed out that the PU Calendar Volume III called for appointing only three members in the committee and not five.

As per the orders, dated January 8, besides Senator, Dr Amit Joshi, who is from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, as chairman, the other members in the standing committee include Prof Sukhbir Kaur from Department of Zoology, Prof Gurpal Singh, Dean (Languages), Prof Jagat Bhushan, Principal of Dr HS Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital and Dr Dinesh Kumar, from Department of Laws.

“I haven’t received any order from the PU in this regard. There are about 200 colleges affiliated with the PU. There is a lot of representation from colleges in governing bodies. There is no regulation in the PU Calendar, which prevents any fellow from colleges to chair an academic committee of the university,” said Dr Joshi.

“There are numerous instances where fellows with just a graduate or postgraduate degree have been nominated in selection committees of principals and teachers, or are participating in PU’s academic committees. Discrimination between college and university teachers is extremely unfortunate,” he added.

The standing committee is formed every year to investigate allegations against a university or individual official or even students pertaining to irregularities in finances, admissions, exams, appointments, plagiarism or any other allegation, which amounts to moral turpitude. — TNS