Prof Gill: Rivals scuttled efforts for Central varsity tag to PU

CHANDIGARH: Prof Rajesh Gill, the presidential candidate of Rajesh Gill-JK Goswamy team for the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) polls, has accused her rivals of taking favours for themselves and their wives, favouring their own people for counting past service and scuttling the efforts for the Central university status to the PU.

Members of the Prof Rajesh Gill and Prof Goswami panel for the Punjab Universty Teachers’ Accosication elections at a press conference on Sunday. Tribune Photo: Pradeep Tewari

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 19

Prof Rajesh Gill, the presidential candidate of Rajesh Gill-JK Goswamy team for the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) polls, has accused her rivals of taking favours for themselves and their wives, favouring their own people for counting past service and scuttling the efforts for the Central university status to the PU.

Prof Yog Raj, who is from Prof Ronki Ram’s group, is contesting against her.

In an interview with Chandigarh Tribune, incumbent Prof Gill answers rivals’ accusations and hits back.

PUTA elections are not fought on ideological lines. However, there are groups whose support is a decisive factor. If I ask you specifically, are Prof Akshaya Kumar and Dr Ajay Ranga supporting you?

PUTA is for teachers. Teachers are not influenced by groups or ideologies. I do not know whether Ajay Ranga or Prof Akshaya are supporting me. I am seeking votes on the basis of my work. Had there been no output in the last one year in our work, no one would have supported us.

What is your idea of administrative reforms? I would like to ask you specifically, do you support lesser members in the Senate as recommended in the governance reforms report, are you in favour of abolishing graduate constituency and are you in favour of doing away with Dean elections?

The number of Senators needs to be reduced though, I would have a different view on the exact number than recommended in the governance reforms report. The graduate constituency shouldn’t be abolished. I also have a different view on selection of Deans. They should be chosen on the basis of seniority. Senior people should hold top offices of the PU.

Your rivals have accused you of using PUTA office to settle your personal scores

PUTA president is a very responsible position. It cannot be used for settling personal score. The opponents have a history of taking favours. Their promotions are done in no time. I have helped those who have no one to bank upon. My rivals have taken favours not just for themselves, but for their wives too. Even in cases of counting of past services, they are favouring their own people. It was Prof Ronki Ram, who scuttled the efforts for the Central university status to the PU. He also opposed the extension of old pension scheme to teachers who came from other institutions to the PU between 2004 and 2012.

But your opponents say it is you, who is hindering the cases for counting of past service

There is a committee comprising Prof Navdeep Goyal, Prof Rajat Sandhir, Prof AK Bhandari, Dean of University Instructions (Prof Shankarji Jha), Prof Promila Pathak and I, who is looking into the cases of counting of past service. How can I alone negate all? We are seeking legal opinion on technical break in the service of teachers.

Why PUTA is not open to analysing feedback forms about teachers? The students’ bodies have been demanding it.

A committee should be formed to study feedback forms. These forms should be filled online. The model of University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) could be implemented in other departments.