Bishnoi takes charge as CDLU Vice-Chancellor

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During the ceremony, he expressed gratitude to Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda for entrusting him with the responsibility. He promised to work diligently to improve the university and fulfill the expectations of the administration. His wife, Vandana Bishnoi, CDLU Registrar Rajesh Bansal, GJUST Registrar Vinod Kumar Chokar and many academicians and staff members from both universities were present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, Bishnoi emphasised his commitment to delivering quality education at CDLU. He said the current era demanded resource sharing, which could yield better outcomes in higher education. He assured that the National Education Policy-2020 would be effectively implemented at both postgraduate levels and in affiliated colleges. This, he said, would promote practical learning and prepare students for future challenges.

Bishnoi, hailing from Jandwala village in Sirsa, has over 30 years of experience in education, research and administration. A PhD graduate from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, he is a renowned environmental scientist with more than 286 research papers and recognition among Stanford’s top 2 per cent global scientists. He has mentored 25 PhD and 77 MTech students, led multiple UGC and AICTE-funded projects and received the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Microbiology, along with numerous other honours.

Despite Bishnoi’s impressive credentials, he faces significant challenges at CDLU. The university is currently dealing with financial crisis, leading to delays in salaries for faculty and staff. Part-time teachers are demanding equal pay for equal work and contractual professors seek job security, maternity leave and childcare benefits. Additionally, the university’s infrastructure is in dire need of upgrades, with libraries lacking adequate books and computer labs facing equipment shortages. Examination-related remunerations have not been paid to faculty members for the past three years, adding to their grievances.

Another major issue is the inefficiency of the admission software, which often leads to delays in the announcement of results. This delay has caused disruptions in admissions and forced students to protest. Moreover, CDLU is struggling to produce quality research, and there is growing demand to increase PhD seats. The university also faces a long list of pending litigations, which could further complicate matters for the new Vice-Chancellor.