PUTA Poll: Rival groups release manifesto

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, October 11

Stage is all set for the Punjabi University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) and Punjabi University Constituent College Teachers' Association (PUCCTA) elections following the declaration of the final list of candidates. Teachers associated with one of the two groups for the PUTA elections have decided to contest for a corruption-free administrative setup. The other group wants to work for availing enough grants for the cash-strapped university from the state government for its proper functioning. The elections will be held on October 14.

Two alliances of teachers — Progressive Teachers’ Alliance (PTA) and Teachers’ United Front (TUF) will face each other.

The PTA as per its manifesto aims for a financial grant from the state government for the university to better its economic position. The members also met Cabinet Minister Pargat Singh over the same today. The alliance is contesting with a promise to work for implementation of the new pay scales for faculty members, pending CAS promotions, release of pending amounts, efforts toward autonomy of the university among others. The alliance said they would also work for the increase in retirement age to 65 years.

PTA convener Dr Rajbans Singh Gill said, “We will try to pressurise the government to provide funding for the university permanently in the budget and will work to sort out pending CAS promotions and other problems of teachers.”

TUF convener Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar said the alliance wants to work for a corruption-free administrative setup. “If we win the elections, the PUTA will not become a hurdle in the investigation of corruption against an official.”

Dr Jaswinder Singh Brar of the department of economics is contesting for the post of president from the TUF against PTA’s Dr Bhupinder Singh, who is a professor of Law. Similarly, Dr Gurnam Singh Virk of social work will contest for vice-president against Dr Poonam Patyar of the chemistry department. Dr Sikandar Singh Cheema of CSE department and Sukhjinder Singh of mechanical engineering are both contesting for post of secretary, while Dr Gurjit Singh of CSE and Dr Jashandeep Singh Sandhu of history are contesting for post of Joint secretary-cum-treasurer.