PU teachers’ body elections: Governance reforms, promotion policy for dental teachers among key agendas

While the governance reforms at Panjab University (PU) were highly debated during the absence of the varsity senate, the issue now has found space in the future agendas of one of the groups contesting the upcoming elections of the Panjab University Teachers Association

While the governance reforms at Panjab University (PU) were highly debated during the absence of the varsity senate, the issue now has found space in the future agendas of one of the groups contesting the upcoming elections of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA).

Both groups contesting the PU teachers’ body elections have ensured the implementation of the seventh pay commission as well as the promotion policy of teachers of the dental institute. (HT file)

The rival groups of incumbent president Mritunjay Kumar and Manu Sharma, both presidential candidates, have laid down their future agendas as the polling day nears. The election to the office-bearers of PUTA will be held on October 28 and over 600 teachers of PU are eligible to cast their votes.

Finding a common ground, both the groups have ensured the implementation of the seventh pay commission as well as the promotion policy of teachers of the dental institute.

However, Manu Sharma’s team has also outlined the senate and governance reforms in their planned deliverables. “Over the years we have realised that there is a need for various reforms in the governing structure of the university,” said Manu Sharma.

While the matter of senate polls was in the high court earlier this year, the vice-president of India, Venkaiah Naidu, who is the chancellor of PU, constituted an expert panel in February to examine the existing governing structure of the university and make recommendations.

Although the panel submitted its report to the office of chancellor in July, its various recommendations were criticised by the stakeholders.

Mritunjay Kumar said, “We are not against the governance reforms but those should be democratic and start from the bottom level first. We have also advocated that the number of campus teachers should be increased in the senate.”

Key agendas of groups

The key agendas of the Mritunjay-Naura group include the grant of central university status to PU and pension for all. The group has promised that they will make efforts to ensure that teachers receive all retirement benefits immediately on their retirement and the completion of the process of counting the past service of teachers. The group has also said that timely processing of CAS promotions, payment of arrears and pay fixation will be among their priorities.

The team of Manu Sharma and Kashmir Singh is also vouching for the CAS promotion for teachers of dental institute and clearance of cases of counting of past service. They have also claimed to work for the flexibility in the use of ‘improvement of education funds’ and central funding for PU.