PU to conduct manpower audit

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 29

Panjab University will conduct manpower audit for teaching and non-teaching recruitment from the next financial year (2015-16) due to financial constraints.

Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover announced this in the Senate meeting during a budget discussion today. He ignored all other suggestions made by the Senators to improve the financial condition of the university.

During the budget discussion, a number of suggestions were mooted by the Senators to generate revenue and cut the expenditure by the authorities, but the Vice-Chancellor did not announce to implement them.

The Senators suggested that a committee should be constituted that will address the revenue-related issues with the UT Administration, stake-holder states and the Centre. This was suggested by various Senators in the past two years.

Panjab University should have a green audit in which it should install solar plants to reduce electricity bills. The pilot project should be started from 17 hostels that have the expenditure of Rs 7.45 lakh on electricity in a month. In fact, the Senators suggested the Vice-Chancellor to approach the UT Administration to fund these projects under its solar scheme. They suggested the VC that private players should be allowed to display advertisement hoardings on the campus.

Commercialisation of the university’s property by converting the guest house in Shimla into a hotel and similar proposals for properties in Amritsar and Jagadhari was also suggested at the meeting. A suggestion was also mooted that another storey should be added to the shops located on the campus to earn more revenue.

The Dean Student Welfare tabled the suggestions of the students that rather increasing the fee, the authorities should revise the rent of canteen and shops. Booking charges of the guest house should also be increased and the minimum charges should be Rs 500 per room.

Varsity failed to table correct facts before NAAC: VC

Panjab University failed to table correct facts about the publications of departments, timetable, students’ feedback and its response and status of choice-based credit execution before the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) team during its visit to the campus in March. The NAAC team was not satisfied with the contribution of consultancy and patents of the PU faculty. Strict instructions were given to implement internal quality assurance, which was recommended in 2009 by the peer team. These parameters will affect the rating that NAAC will give to the PU. This was stated by the Vice-Chancellor during the Senate meeting on Sunday.

Heated argument between Senators

A heated argument was exchanged between Senators on the issue of making hostel funds a part of the budget from the next fiscal year. The Senators alleged that there is a financial fraud in the university as the funds collected from the hostel were not included in the budget report due to which it was not covered under audit. Reacting to it, Dean Student Welfare Navdeep Goyal assured the Senate that from the next session it would be a part of the budget report.

Next Senate meeting on April 26

As many as 15 agendas were approved on Sunday. The rest of the agendas will be taken up during the next meeting scheduled on April 26.