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Panjab University syndicate meeting: Nod to double subsidy on student loan
A loan subsidy of ₹50,000 can now be availed of under the merit-cum-means scheme
The Panjab University (PU) syndicate on Friday doubled the loan subsidy amount of ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 under the merit-cum-means loan subsidy scheme for all self-financed courses.
The syndicate met on Friday and deliberated over around 15 items of agenda. The syndics also reviewed the guidelines pertaining to the subsidy scheme for all self-financed courses.
“Keeping in view students’ interest, the syndicate reviewed the guidelines of the merit-cum-means loan subsidy scheme. Now, a student can avail a loan subsidy of ₹50,000 instead of ₹25,000,” said a syndicate member.
Besides this, syndicate member KK Sharma’s proposal that the cost of sample testing at PU’s Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility (SAIF) should be the same for the teachers of PU and those of its affiliated colleges, was approved.
Sharma said, “The cost for using the SAIF at the university was not equal for the teachers of PU and those of its affiliated colleges. Now, the vice-chancellor(V-C) has approved the proposal and the cost for sample testing will be the same for all teachers.”
Also, the vision document prepared by a committee constituted by V-C Raj Kumar did not get the nod from the syndicate. However, the members recommended that the vision document should be reviewed again.
A syndicate member, on condition of anonymity, said,“The document should be reviewed again.We have to be sure that no national policy is left out of the document.”
The vision document includes goals for the university to be accomplished by the year 2025.It provides for the decentralisation of the departments and institutes of the varsity which will give more autonomy to the heads of the departments.
PU’s vision 2025 includes digital initiatives such as paperless offices and e-file management system and staff re-employment in different departments. The document, which still awaits PU syndicate’s nod, also provides for self-learning through online courses.
“We have not rejected the document but have recommended that it should be looked into again. We should see if anything else can be added to it,” a syndicate member said.
The syndicate also recommended the under graduate board of studies (UGBOS) in Sankrit to revisit the memorandum of understanding signed with a private institute to run the course in Vedic astrology.
The Sankrit department of PU continues to run the Vedic astrology course even though it was directed to put on hold as it lacked the requisite permission from the syndicate.
