Appoint, rather than elect Panjab University senate members, says panel

Expert panel’s recommendations have been sent to Vice-President of the country and PU chancellor M Venkaiah Naidu, who will take the final call

Panjab University (PU) must do away with its practice of giving 15 seats in the senate, its supreme decision-making body, to registered graduates constituency through elections and appoint eminent alumni instead, a committee of experts has recommended.

The panel has also suggested that membership of the senate be lowered to 47 against 93 now. (HT Photo)

RP Tiwari, vice-chancellor of Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, chaired the high-level 11-member panel that the Vice-President of the country and PU chancellor M Venkaiah Naidu had formed in February to recommend governance reforms. This was in light of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). In November 2020, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had also directed PU to initiate governance reforms.

These recommendations have been sent to Naidu, who will take the final call. The committee has also recommended that the senate and syndicate be retained, but with lower number of members for enhanced efficiency. The membership of the senate is proposed to be lowered to 47 against 93 now.

The syndicate membership will be reduced to 13 from the present 18 if the committee has its way. The report adds that preference must be given to academicians from the university and its affiliated colleges in appointment to the two bodies.

Senate members, however, have opposed this, saying that elections were essential for varsity’s democratic flavour.

They have also said that a public debate must be held on these recommendations before implementation.

Changes in composition of faculties have also been recommended that include doing away with the bifurcation of faculties as major or minor. The number of faculties will also reduce from 11 to 10 as prescribed by PU regulations.

In place of added/co-opted members, nominated members from among the academia have been recommended.

The present system of appointment of deans of faculties by election has been recommended to be replaced with appointment from among senior professors on seniority basis, by rotation.

Re-alignment of territorial jurisdiction of PU has been advised. The report adds that this will ensure colleges situated in close proximity of PU in Mohali and Ropar may be affiliated to it, while colleges far away can be affiliated to other varsities.