CM urged to stick to order of merit for selecting PTU VC

Chandigarh, April 16

The Board of Governors of the IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU), Kapurthala, has approved three shortlisted candidates for the post of Vice Chancellor.

However, concerns have arisen about the order in which their names will be recommended to the Punjab Governor. DR RN Sharma, a former member of the Board of Governors of the erstwhile Beant College of Engineering and Technology, Gurdaspur, has written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, requesting that the candidates be recommended in order of merit.

Shortlisted candidates

• Sushil Mittal, VC, Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur
• Harminder Bains, Director, PU, Hoshiarpur Regional campus
• Siby John, Dy Director, Punjab Engineering College, UT

The three shortlisted candidates are Sushil Mittal, Vice-Chancellor of Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur; Harminder Bains, Director of PU, Hoshiarpur regional campus; and Siby John, Deputy Director, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh.

In the previous exercise to select the VC of IKGPTU in 2021, the Board of Governors recommended three names — Siby John, Onkar Singh, and Varinder Kumar Paul — in merit-based order. However, the appointment was not made during the tenure of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi.

Prof Dr AK Sharma was the last regular VC of IKGPTU until April 2021. Interestingly, Siby John is once again among the three shortlisted candidates in the current exercise to select the VC. The CM will have to send the names with his recommendations to the Governor, who is the final appointing authority.