Decision on fate of two Punjab tech varsities soon

Chandigarh, December 26

Two new technical universities — Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University, Ferozepur, and Sardar Beant Singh State University, Gurdaspur — are likely to be made campuses of the IK Gujral Punjab Technical University and Maharaja Ranjit Singh PTU, Bathinda.

A four-member committee — headed by Vice Chancellor (VC) of Punjabi University Prof Arvind and constituted to decide the fate of the two new universities set up during the tenure of the previous Congress government — is expected to send the recommendation to the state government in the coming days. The final call will be taken by CM Bhagwant Mann-led government.

Other members of the committee are Director, Technical Education, DPS Kharbanda and VCs of IK Gujral Punjab Technical University and Maharaja Ranjit Singh PTU, Bathinda. As the state government is giving Rs 15 crore each to the two universities, the aspect of financial liability of the two universities will have to be addressed by the state government, said officials privy to the developments.

While a regular VC of Sardar Beant Singh State University has already been appointed, Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University is yet to get one. The government had been contemplating merging the Ferozepur and Gurdaspur universties with PTU and IKGPTU, respectively.