The genesis of reforms at Panjab University

A 15-MEMBER National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) committee that reviewed Panjab University (PU) in March 2015 had stressed the need for urgent reforms in the university's governance structure, particularly the procedure for appointing deans of faculties. The committee noted that the governance framework, as laid down in the Panjab University Act (1947) and its statutes, had remained largely unchanged since Independence and needed revision to reflect present-day academic and administrative realities.

The PU Act (1947) was modelled on the Indian Universities Act (1904), which created a Senate comprising the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, ex-officio Fellows and ordinary Fellows — elected by registered graduates and university faculties, or nominated by the Chancellor. When this system was framed, PU had no departments or teaching staff. Fellows were assigned to multiple faculties across disciplines to manage academic work. Since each Senator typically had expertise in only one area, about 75 per cent of members in any faculty lacked specialised knowledge of that field.

To address this, the concept of 'Added-members' was introduced. Any two Senate members could nominate a college teacher or professional as an Added-member in their faculty. Later, professors and heads of university department were included as ex-officio members in their faculties.

By 1961, when the university moved to its present Chandigarh campus, there were 28 professors and heads of department as ex-officio members compared to 336 Senate members and 152 Added-members across 11 faculties. By 2015, the number of ex-officio members had increased to 233, while Senate members and Added-members stood at 356 and 185, respectively. The faculty constituency, which elected six Senators, soon became a convenient route for politically savvy individuals to retain their positions by manipulating faculty combinations and nominating Added-members.

Faculty members repeatedly highlighted these imbalances before the NAAC committee. Acting on their feedback, the President of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA), then a nominated Senator, submitted proposals on governance reforms on October 8, 2015. Based on the Syndicate's recommendation, a 16-member Governance Reforms Committee (GRC) was set up on November 29, 2015, headed by a former chief justice of a high court. The GRC was tasked with exploring reforms through three sub-committees focusing on amendments to the PU Act, changes in statutes and regulations, and improvements through administrative delegation.

While the Senate elections for 2016-20 were held pending the GRC's report, PUTA continued to press for action. In September 2016, it wrote to the Union Home Minister seeking regulations to restrict multiple faculty choices and limit voting rights of Added-members in elections of Deans and Senators. Around the same time, the Punjab and Haryana High Court took up a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on governance and financial concerns at PU. The VC was directed to file an affidavit detailing corrective measures.

The sub-committees submitted their reports in June 2018, which were reviewed by the GRC and circulated among Syndicate and Senate members. The recommendations were also submitted to the high court. In December 2019, the Chancellor's emissary visited Chandigarh for consultations before the 2020-24 Senate elections. However, the pandemic disrupted the process. In February 2021, the Chancellor constituted another panel, chaired by the Central University of Punjab VC, including representatives from the UGC, MHRD, Punjab Government and UT Administration. The report was not made public or placed before the Senate.

Despite repeated efforts, neither the 2016-20 nor the 2021-24 Senate acted upon the GRC's 2018 recommendations. The Senate's term ended on October 31, 2024, and elections for 2024-28 were withheld by the Chancellor, reportedly because certain issues related to the previous election remained sub judice.

At present, the Senate comprises only the Chancellor and VC as members, with the Registrar as non-member Secretary. They appear to have finally taken cognisance of the report lying in the Chancellor's office since 2021. A recent Gazette notification has aligned PU's governance structure with that of other affiliating universities in Punjab. The long-awaited reform is expected to ease the functioning of the VC's office, improve accountability, streamline decision-making and end conflict between executive authority and vested interests — marking a significant course correction for one of India's oldest and most prestigious universities.

Arun Grover is former VC, Panjab University.