‘PhD Sabziwala’: Punjabi University says offer open for Sandeep to continue as guest faculty
Mohit Khanna
Patiala, January 2
After Sandeep Singh, a guest faculty of law at Punjabi University, Patiala, caught the attention of people after he was seen selling vegetables in the streets of Amritsar, the university confirmed that Singh had done PhD from the Law Department of the university in 2017.
In response to a query, Dean (Academics) Ashok Kumar Tiwari and Law Department HoD Monica Chawla confirmed that Sandeep was working as a guest faculty at the university and was hired for the 2023-24 session.
However, he did not take up the assignment, citing personal reasons. The approval for Sandeep to continue as guest faculty for the next semester from January to May has been sent and Sandeep’s consent is awaited, the university said.
Sandeep was recently seen selling vegetables with a board hung on his cart reading “PhD Sabziwala”.
Sandeep said he was selling vegetables because a monthly salary of Rs 20,000-25000 as guest faculty was not enough.
As per the records shared by the university, Sandeep has done his LLB and LLM from Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, and completed his PhD from Punjabi University in 2017.
He had worked as junior research fellow (JRF) and senior research fellow (SRF) from 2011 to 2016 and guest faculty from July 2016 to May 2023 at Punjabi University.
Sandeep said: “I have always wanted to teach law and have done that nearly 13 years. This June, however, I had to quit teaching as it became difficult for me and my family to survive on the salary being offered to me as guest faculty and started selling vegetables in Amritsar.”
He is also currently pursuing BLib (Bachelor of Library and Information Sciences) from Lovely Professional University.
Despite the hardships, Sandeep Singh said he wants to continue teaching children in the future and hopes to start a coaching centre of his own. “I regret that the university could not offer me a permanent job,” Sandeep said.
Difficult to make ends meet
I had to quit teaching because it became difficult for me to survive on the meagre salary being offered to me as guest faculty. Therefore, I started selling vegetables in Amritsar. — Sandeep Singh, former guest faculty, Punjabi University
