Improve academic standards at Guru Nanak Dev University, MLA says in Assembly

MLA from Amritsar North Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh has said in Punjab Vidhan Sabha that there was an urgent need to upgrade the academic standards of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) here.

The MLA called for the attention of Minister of Higher Education towards vacancies of teachers in various university departments and recommended to fill them on priority basis. He also asked the minister to open the departments of geography and geology. The MLA pointed out that there was an urgent need to teach geology at the GNDU.

“Falling water level in Punjab, especially in border areas, has posed a serious threat. For study and research in the area, geology as a subject can contribute a lot. So, there is a dire need to teach geology. Similarly, area studies, developmental studies and socio-economic research in the under-developed border areas are much required. So, education and research in the field of geography is needed at the GNDU,” he said.

“Departments like agriculture, economics, hotel management, sociology, mass communication, foreign languages, Urdu and Sanskrit do not have their own heads and are being headed by teachers of some other subjects,” the MLA said.

“Keeping in view the need to maintain academic sanctity, heads should be from the same department and appointed on a regular basis,” he emphasised. “In Punjabi Language Department, only five teachers are regular and 13 are contractual or work on part-time basis. The Law Department has 11 regular teachers, while 18 are on contract or part-time basis,” the MLA said.

“Even the University Business School has only 10 regular teachers, while 21 are either on contractual or part-time basis. In Agriculture Department, only three teachers are regular whereas 13 are on contractual or part-time basis. It is in the interest of students to ensure regular appointment of professors,” he said.