Senate adjourned twice over extension to college principals

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 16

As soon as the Senate meeting started, Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover stated that item concerning extension to affiliated college principals beyond 60 years had been withdrawn.

Senators Ashok Goyal, HS Dua, Naresh Gaud and Prof Keshav Malhotra protested over it and the VC then adjourned the meeting.

It was adjourned again when Dua and fellow IS Chadha had an argument. 

The meeting was resumed only after it was decided that all concerning issues of colleges will be taken up in a special meeting of Senate on January 7.

Earlier, during the arguments, Dua resented over withdrawal of item but the VC said, “Most of the discussion had already taken place over the issue in the meeting held on September 24. This issue should have been closed in the Syndicate. Earlier, it was claimed that information on members of inspection committees to colleges has been hidden. I am open to have a special meeting over it.”

Dua and Gaur demanded explanation over why the item was withdrawn but the VC said he had already explained the reasons.

The VC said, “The principals who are serving beyond 60 years are being paid by their college managements.”

Dua charged that extension had been given in violation to the Punjab Government rules. However, Prof Navdeep Goyal, chairperson of the Department of Physics, said, “No new rules have been made. The rules were made in 2014.”

Finally, the stalemate was resolved on the intervention of senators Rashpal Malhotra and Prof RP Bambah.

Committee formed to discuss PhD guidelines

During the discussion on PhD guidelines, Senator Gurmeet Singh said status of re-employed teachers should be clarified whether they could take students or be part of academic committees.

Fellow Prof Rajat Sandhir said, “In case of students having co-guides, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Punjabi University are counting them as half. Here, at the PU too, we should consider them as half so a teacher could take more students.”