Shortage of vice chancellors, registrars in Punjab? One VC holds charge of three universities
Kanwar Inder Singh/royalpatiala.in
Punjab- a land of Guru’s has produced many renowned academicians in the past, is now facing a peculiar situation- shortage of vice chancellors, registrars in the state universities.
At present 4 state universities are without regular vice chancellors and 3 state universities are without regular registrars.
The worst situation arises in Punjab’s first technical university-IKG Punjab Technical University where the post of vice chancellor and registrar are vacant. The Vice Chancellor of IKG-PTU Dr Ajay Kumar Sharma’s term had expired in May this year and the govt fails to appoint any vice chancellor, in time. This is hampering the admission process. The university is also without regular registrar, since 2012. Recently the govt has given the additional charge of registrar to additional deputy commissioner (development) Jalandhar Jaspreet Singh, IAS.
The two newly-upgraded technical universities — Shaheed Bhagat Singh Technical University at Ferozepur and Sardar Beant Singh Technical University, Gurdaspur — are also functioning without a regular V-C. Earlier both these were Punjab government engineering colleges.
The charge of Ferozepur varsity is with Dr Buta Singh, the V-C of MRS PTU, Bathinda, whereas the charge of the Gurdaspur varsity is with Guru Nanak Dev University V-C Dr Jaspal Sandhu.
Another university Sri Guru Teg Bhadaur University of Law at Tarn Taran is also without regular vice chancellor and registrar. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar vice chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh is holding the charge of this university. GNDU registrar is also the registrar of this university. The said university was established last year while celebrating the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Teg Bhadur ji.
Last but not the least, the additional charge of registrar of state’s only medical university Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot has been given to Kotakpura SDM Nirmal Ouseppachan IAS
“As per the normal procedure, whenever a university is announced or set-up, the first thing the government does is appoint a regular V-C so that he can create the infrastructure on the campus and take other decisions as per the requirement. The post of registrar is equally important in any university. It’s strange that the govt is giving the charge of registrar to bureaucrats. ADC (D) and SDM is a public dealing post where the officer has to remain available for the administration, government, public, all the time. How can they perform dedicatedly on these key positions? All three universities are professional universities and is hampering the progress of the university. Moreover GNDU vice chancellor is holding the charge of three universities (GNDU, Amritsar, Sardar Beant Singh Technical University, Gurdaspur and Sri Guru Teg Bhadaur University of Law at Tarn Taran) in three districts, strange” said a university professor.
August 23,2021
