‘Approval’ pending, PAU students denied admission

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 21

Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyer HC Arora has submitted a representation to the director general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) against the renewal of accreditation of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

The accreditation of Punjab Agricultural University is due. Many students, who had completed their under-graduation from PAU, applied for postgraduate courses at Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University (CSKHPAU), Palampur, but were denied admission and shown the door as the accreditation process of PAU was still pending. The accreditation is renewed after every five years.

Citing the proceedings of the meeting of the Accreditation Board, held on March 11, 2014, for granting accreditation to PAU and four of its colleges, Arora said: “The accreditation in 2014 was approved, inter-alia, on the condition that PAU, Ludhiana, would make necessary arrangements in its Acts and Statutes according to the ICAR Model Act, 2009, and submit the report to the Accreditation Board within six months. One of the items on which the university was asked to amend its Acts and Statutes was item number six, stating therein that ‘the mode of selection of Vice-Chancellor and tenure of appointment to be on par with the ICAR Model Act.’”

Arora also wrote that the Model Act for Agricultural Universities in India (Revised 2009), categorically declares in Section 24 thereof that the Vice-Chancellor has to be appointed by the Chancellor from the panel of eminent educationists in agricultural sciences drawn by the search committee. However, under Clause 4 of Section 24 (supra), the Vice-Chancellor is to hold the office for a term of five years or until he attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier. Despite the aforesaid categorical directions issued by the Accreditation Board of the ICAR and the provisions of the Model Act, 2009, the existing Vice-Chancellor of PAU, BS Dhillon, who has been the Vice-Chancellor since July 1, 2011, and is also 72-years-old (his date of birth being June 27, 1947), has been granted another term of two years by the state government, for the period from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021, vide government order dated June 21 on the recommendation of the Board of Governance of PAU, Ludhiana, in a completely illegal and arbitrary manner. Thus, in these circumstances, the accreditation of Punjab Agricultural University and its affiliated colleges is required to be revoked, or not to be renewed, as the case be, on account of the aforesaid deliberate and serious default.

“I call upon you to revoke the accreditation granted to PAU, Ludhiana, and its affiliated colleges, or decline to renew such accreditation, as the case be. And if at all, such accreditation is to be renewed/continued, it should be made conditional, subject to revocation of extension/ appointment of BS Dhillon as the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University with immediate effect,” he said in his representation written to the ICAR.

The Accreditation Board has convened a meeting on July 29 to take up the matter of Punjab Agricultural University.

Earlier, Arora had made an appeal to the Chancellor of PAU-cum-Governor of Punjab, VP Badnore, against the proposed extension to Baldev Singh Dhillon as the Vice-Chanceller of PAU. Dhillon’s term was extended for the third time. Dhillon’s extended term has become the centre of controversy in relation to renewal of accreditation of Punjab Agricultural University.

 The representation

I call upon you to revoke the accreditation granted to PAU, Ludhiana, and its affiliated colleges, or decline to renew such accreditation, as the case be. And if at all, such accreditation is to be renewed/continued, it should be made conditional, subject to revocation of extension/ appointment of Baldev Singh Dhillon as the Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University with immediate effect.. 

Appeal against Dhillon

Punjab and Haryana High Court lawyer HC Arora had made an appeal to the Chancellor of PAU-cum-Governor of Punjab, VP Badnore, against the proposed extension to Baldev Singh Dhillon as the Vice-Chanceller of PAU. Dhillon’s term was extended for the third time. His extended term has become the centre of controversy in relation to renewal of accreditation of Punjab Agricultural University.