The Panjab University (PU) senate will in its next meeting on December 30 consider a resolution to appoint senior-most professors as interim deans of their respective faculty till the high court makes a final decision on the issue.
The resolution has been moved by senator Dinesh Kumar as for almost two years now, all faculties at PU are functioning without deans due to pending elections.
It was also taken up during the last meeting of the PU syndicate and the executive body decided that the matter should be forwarded to the senate, the apex governing body of the university.
The one-year term of various faculty deans had ended in January 2021 without the selection of their successors — since there was no senate and syndicate in place at that time because of the repeated delays in their election due to the Covid pandemic. At PU, the faculty deans are elected by senators, added members, professors and heads of departments.
The university had scheduled the election of deans on December 3, but the polls were deferred after HC asked the university to add faculty members above the age of 60 in the voter list.
{{/usCountry}}The university had scheduled the election of deans on December 3, but the polls were deferred after HC asked the university to add faculty members above the age of 60 in the voter list.
{{/usCountry}}Kumar stated in his resolution that as all faculties are functioning in absence of the deans after January 2021, the routine matters of the research scholars like meetings of Research Degree Committees (RDC) and seeking extensions for submission of PhD thesis are increasing the workload on the higher officials, as these issued would otherwise be addressed at the level of dean.
The absence of deans has also left Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) promotions of around 150 teachers in limbo.
Meanwhile, the PU senate will also ratify recommendations of separate committees to prepare rosters of assistant professors and principals at PU’s constituent colleges.