Panel submits final report on PU governance reforms

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 2

A high-level committee of experts, under the chairmanship of Prof RP Tiwari, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, which was constituted by Vice-President of India and Chancellor of Panjab University M Venkaiah Naidu, has submitted its final report.

Other recommendations

• Prominence to academics from the university as well as from affiliated colleges in governance.
• Doing away with the bifurcation of faculties as major and minor
• Replacing the present system of appointment of deans of faculties by election with appointment from among senior professors of the university on a seniority basis by rotation.
• Realignment of territorial jurisdiction of the PU

The committee, after holding detailed deliberations and taking into account the views of the stakeholders, the recommendations of other committees on governance reforms made hitherto and the governing structure of other prominent institutions of the country, has come up with its final recommendations.

The committee has recommended that the governing bodies, Senate and Syndicate, be retained. The composition of the proposed Senate will be a combination of ex officio, elected and nominated members. The committee has recommended the downsizing of these bodies for enhanced efficiency. The existing 93-member Senate has been proposed to be of 47 members. Similarly, the number of members of the Syndicate has been recommended to be at 13, as against the existing 18.

Changes in the composition of faculties have also been recommended that include doing away with the bifurcation of faculties as major and minor. While the present PU regulation prescribes 11 faculties, the committee has recommended 10 faculties.

The present system of appointment of deans of faculties by election has been recommended to be replaced with their appointment from amongst the senior professors of the university on a seniority basis by rotation.

In order to have a better coordination between colleges and the PU administration, and also to facilitate efficient service delivery to students, realignment of territorial jurisdiction of the PU is also recommended so that the colleges situated in close proximity of the PU (including those in Mohali and Roopnagar) may be affiliated to it and the colleges situated at distant places (as far as 200 km to 250 km) from the university be affiliated to other universities of the state.