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PU needs to live up to its reputation: Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar
The Vice-President (V-P) of India, who is also the chancellor of the varsity, said that the present state of affairs needs to be revisited
Vice-President (V-P) of India Jagdeep Dhankhar said that Panjab University (PU) has to live up to its reputation and become a role model for the world to emulate.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the varsity’s third global alumni meet, the Vice-President, who is also the chancellor of PU, said, “The present state of affairs needs to be revisited, not because there is fault in it but because there has to be a generational change from the technological point of view.”
He said that being one of the oldest universities in the country, many leading lights of free India, former presidents, prime ministers, great scientists, industry leaders, eminent artists and sports persons trace their roots to PU.
The comments come at a time when the university has been faring poorly on various global and national rankings. In the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, released last month, PU was placed in the 801-1,000 bracket, which was way behind many private universities in region, including Shoolini University, Himachal Pradesh.
This was a major let down for the varsity, which had bagged the top spot in the country, leaving behind all technical and non-technical institutes, in 2013.
The varsity also slipped in the Union Education Ministry’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2022 announced in July.
Calling upon alumni to give back to the varsity, V-P Dhankhar said, “Alumni can give directions that can inspire faculty and students. They can generate an ecosystem where the present student population is motivated to engage in research and innovation.”
Punjab governor and UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit, Union minister of state for commerce and industry Som Parkash and Punjab education minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer were also present on the occasion.
Outlining that education is the priority sector of the government, Dhankhar said the National Educational Policy (NEP-2020) was formulated to bring about transformation, find solutions to society’s problems and develop an ecosystem that is balanced, holistic and inclusive.
This was Dhankar’s maiden visit to City Beautiful after becoming the Vice-President.
Distinguished alumni share experience
Dr Ashwani Kumar, director, ICMR-Vector Control Research, who is an alumnus of PU’s zoology department, and Sunny Guglani, head, Airbus Helicopters, India and South Asia, an alumnus of University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), shared their experiences during the global alumni meet.
Sidelights of the event
97-year-old alumnus graces the event
Narinder Singh Swaraj, who graduated from Law College, Lahore, in 1947, was also present during PU’s third global alumni meet. Born in 1925 in Mansa Punjab, he retired as the sessions judge in 1980. He was accompanied by his daughter at the event where he was also honoured. He completed his schooling from Lahore.
Vice-President hopes for more organised event next time
Towards the end of his address, the Vice-President said, “I am grateful and privileged to be among you all. I hope that I will come here next year also and find a more organised alumni association office bearers taking control of the programme.”
PUTA delegation, Student Council meets Vice-President
On his maiden visit to PU, a delegation of Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) met Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dankhar at Punjab Raj Bhawan. They brought to the notice of the chancellor that after the notification of UGC revised pay scales by the Punjab government, the university is yet to implement the same, causing resentment among faculty members. The office bearers of Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) also met him and put forward their demands.
