PU not to lay off non-teaching staff

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, February 12

Good news for non-teaching staff at Panjab University.

Apprehensions that the university authorities are likely to reduce the number of non-teaching staff have been laid to rest, as Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover has assured that no existing employee would be asked to leave. However, the VC added that future recruitment would be outsourced.

Over 400 non-teaching staff members were a confused lot. They feared that they would be shunted out and the posts will be filled through outsourcing.

Prof Grover said there were clear instructions from the UGC that no recruitment of regular non-teaching staff should be made.

Referring to the Bokshi Committee report, which had recommended that the fiscal deficit of the PU should be met by the Centre on a condition that the university reduces the number of non-teaching employees, he said at present, he does not have a strategic plan to do it.

“New infrastructure is coming up on the campus with the expansion of departments; and these all need standard maintenance,” he said.

The VC said the university had to resort to outsourcing to get best services at minimum cost as the Budget was one of the issues that the university was encountering.

PU Non-Teaching Employees Federation president Deepak Kaushik said they had decided to hold a rally on Monday in protest against the move to outsource work of the university and non-promotion of their members. He added that they would not hold the rally in case the PU authorities gave them a written assurance that the non-teaching staff would not be shown the door.

Future recruitment to be outsourced: VC

Apprehensions that the university authorities are likely to reduce the number of non-teaching staff have been laid to rest, as Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover has assured that no existing employee would be asked to leave. However, the VC added that future recruitment would be outsourced.