Varsity to grant equal status to UGC faculties

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

Panjab University (PU) is all set to bring teachers appointed under the UGC-Faculty Recharge Programme (FRP) on par with the regular faculty.

The PU Syndicate will take a final decision in this regard on February 24.

A representation on August 11, 2017, was received from the UGC-FRP teachers after which a committee was formed under Dean of University Instructions Meenakshi Malhotra. Two UGC faculties Dr Dilbag Singh and Dr Gagandeep Singh also appeared before the committee to narrate their problems.

The committee, on November 29, 2017, resolved that the UGC-FRP will be included in all department-level technical or administrative committees like regular ones. They will be considered for sanction of grants out of 'Purse Grant' and 'Improvement of Education Grant' on par with regular faculty at the PU.

They will be allowed to have independent supervision of PhD, MPhil and masters students like regular teachers. They can enjoy health facilities at the PU health centre.

The personal files of such faculty members shall remain in the custody of the establishment branch for necessary processing as and when required as is being done in the case of regular faculty.

All establishment matters relating to such faculty members such as sanction of leave and promotions shall be entered in the service book by the department concerned and shall be processed through the establishment section in the same manner like that of teachers concerned.

It has also been decided by the committee that many other faculty members who have been appointed under government-sponsored schemes are facing similar problems and their salary and establishment related matters should be dealt on par with the regular faculty.

Regarding inclusion in PU seniority list, it will seek information from GNDU, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Patiala; Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra; and Delhi University. The PU will also take legal opinion.

PU to replace ineligible guest faculty

 The Syndicate will take a decision on replacing ineligible faculty in constituent colleges of the PU. Now, instead of guest faculty wherever appointed earlier, but do not fulfill the qualifications laid down by the UGC like NET/PhD, the eligible persons would be given preference in selections for the next semester or next academic session.