PU Syndicate to review appointments by ex-VC

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 14

The Syndicate on Sunday called for bringing all appointments, which were approved by former Vice-Chancellor (VC) Arun Grover in the last days of his tenure, for discussion. 

Earlier, the agenda read that 27 items, all related to appointments made by the former VC under the Regulation 14 of the PU Calendar Volume-1, were approved by the Syndicate on August 27 as ratification items. “But on Sunday, the Syndicate refused to accept that. We have called for records pertaining to these appointments in the next meeting,” said Syndic Ashok Goyal. 

The Regulation 14 says: “In case of urgency, the Vice-Chancellor may take such action as he deems necessary, and report the matter at the next meeting of the Syndicate for approval.” 

“We need to see the workload of a department. Everything should be placed before us. We need to see what a department has recommended. What was the need of using Regulation 14 when the appointments were already under consideration of the Syndicate,” said another Syndic Dr Amit Joshi. 

Syndic Prof Navdeep Goyal raised the issue that some contractual teachers, who have been working, were not getting salaries. The Syndicate authorised the VC to take decision in this regard. 

Issue of DCDC post raised 

Joshi raised the issue of giving both posts of the Dean College Development Council (DCDC) and the Controller of Examinations to the same person. He said the work of affiliations and examinations were getting affected. To this, Vice-Chancellor Prof Raj Kumar said the university was under financial crunch and he couldn’t put a burden of Rs 25 lakh-30 lakh, but said he would look into the issue. Chandigarh BJP president Sanjay Tandon told the VC that a new person should be appointed on the DCDC’s post. 

Earlier, the PU had advertised the DCDC’s post and several people had applied for the same. 

Doctor allowed to work beyond 65 years 

The Syndicate ratified the decision of the VC for the extension of Dr Rakesh Khullar, Medical Officer (on contract), Bhai Ghanaiya Ji Institute of Health, PU, to continue working beyond the age of 65 years on contract, till the post is filled by the university. Syndic Amit Joshi opposed it and said extension beyond 65 years shouldn’t be encouraged.

Dr Khullar, Additional Chief Medical Officer, was appointed as the Medical Officer in 1994. He attained the age of 60 years in 2013, but was granted extension in service for two years. He was then re-employed on contract basis after his retirement on September 30, 2015, for a period of six months. His term was extended up to the age of 65 years (September 16, 2018), but the Syndicate said the post should be filled soon.

VC’s decision ratified 

The Syndicate ratified the decision of the VC to give one-time special chance to final year students of BE VII and VIII semester (2017-18 sessions) of all departments falling under the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.   

Other decisions

• Syndicate members appreciated Vice-Chancellor Raj Kumar for giving the additional charge of the post of the Registrar to Prof Karamjeet Singh, University Business School, and approved the same. 
• The Syndicate allowed by-elections for one seat of the Senate from the constituency of heads of affiliated arts college, which fell vacant due to the demise of Dr HS Gosal, Principal, Govind National College, Narangwal, Ludhiana.
• The Syndicate ratified the decision of the VC to introduce various vocational courses and extended the date for submitting application up to October 25.