PU to hire 12 gunmen, 238 security personnel

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 23

Panjab University is planning to hire 12 gunmen and 238 security personnel, according to a proposal cleared by the university’s Senate last week.

The move comes amid growing concerns over the safety of women on the campus after a woman journalist was assaulted by a man at the botanical garden this month.

According to Panjab University Registrar Prof Karamjit Singh, the staff will likely be hired by the university and not through outsourcing. “There was a half-baked discussion on outsourcing security personnel through a private company, but it doesn’t seem quite likely. We may first look into hiring a Chef Security Officer and hire regular employees,” said Singh, after speaking to Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar.

In fact, after a quick perusal of the Board of Finance’s budget estimates of 2020-21, which have been approved by the Senate, the top governing body of the university, it was found that the PU has locked a budget of Rs 6.86 crore for the recruitment of 228 sanctioned posts of security guards, one of Chief Security Officer, 12 gunmen, five security officers and six assistant security officers. Also, there is a provision for Rs 4.38 crore for security services on contract basis or outsourcing security for a contractual security officer in South Campus and 190 safety personnel for both campuses, including boys’ hostel no 7 and 8 and girls’ hostel no 9 and 10.

Sources said the PU has not yet recruited a female security officer even though there are 14 female security guards in Panjab University. There’s one sanctioned post of female security officer. “All 12 sanctioned posts of gunmen are yet to be filled. The PU needs six more assistant security officers,” the source said.