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Punjab government to restart selection process of PTU V-C after finalising name for post
The process was set aside by Punjab government at the eleventh hour after some aspirants for the vice-chancellor’s post raised questions on selection process, say officials
The Punjab government has decided to restart the selection process of vice-chancellor of the Inder Kumar Gujral-Punjab Technical University (IKG-PTU), Kapurthala, after nearly finalising the name of Prof Siby John when Amarinder Singh was chief minister.
The government will again issue advertisement for the post, officials familiar with the matter said.
The name of John from the Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh, who earlier served in the IKG-PTU, was considered almost final for the post when the file recommending the name of the candidate of choice was sent to the Punjab governor for final approval on August 25, it is learnt.
Earlier, the varsity’s board of governors had sent a panel of three names, including VK Paul from the National Institute of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, and Onkar Singh from Technical University Lucknow, besides John to the state government.
But the process was set aside at the eleventh hour after some aspirants raised questions on selection, citing favoritism. Some had even approached the then technical education minister Charanjit Channi (now chief minister) claiming that candidates from Punjab were completely ignored.
There were also reports at the time of Channi having no say in the selection process for the V-C’s post.
State technical education minister Rana Gurjit Singh said the file on the V-C’s appointment was back with the government. “We will start the selection process afresh,” he said.
Sixteen names of a total of 67 candidates who had applied for the V-C’s post were shortlisted for appearing before the select panel headed by the chief secretary.
The post of the PTU V-C had fallen vacant on May 31 when Ajay Kumar’s term came to an end. Currently, the principal secretary (technical education) is holding the V-C’s charge.
Ad hocism has taken over higher technical institutes in Punjab with three out of four state government-run universities functioning without a regular V-C. The two newly upgraded technical varsities — Shaheed Bhagat Singh Technical University, Ferozepur, and the Sardar Beant Singh Technical University, Gurdaspur — don’t have a regular V-C.
