Students'' attendance row: Faculty members of DES resign from PUTA

Chandigarh, April 28

Miffed over the “indifference” and “failure in protecting the dignity of the faculty members of the Department of Evening Studies - Multi Disciplinary Research Centre” by the Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA), 21 faculty of the department today gave a mass resignation from the association. Among those who resigned is prof Mohammad Khalid. He represents the faculty of the department. 

The resignation came in the wake of the Panjab University administration seeking the attendance details of students of the DES-MDRC for the current semester.  

Notably, the directive had come after vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover visited the classes in the department on April 19 and was said to have found a majority of students absent, informed sources. Sources informed that the VC questioned the faculty members which did not go down well with the latter, who felt “humiliated”. 

Following the DUI’s directive seeking a copy of the attendance register of the department on April 24, the faculty of the department turned to the PUTA. 

PUTA president Prof promila Pathak said a meeting of the PUTA was held on April 26 during which a resolution was passed on the issue. The resolution stated that any information desired by the authorities and in any case may be sought after assigning a reason. “In case of specific information, the same may be sought through the chairperson of the department. These types of issues be settled through dialogue,” said the resolution. 

Prof Pathak said the faculty of the DES-MDRC felt strongly about being singled out. She maintained that the association did its best.  — TNS