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Punjab government warns PU of grant cut over reservation roster issue
Punjab government informed PU that the pending grant for the current financial year will lapse if the varsity fails to implement the reservation roster in promotion for its non-teaching staff.
Punjab government informed Panjab University (PU) that the pending grant for the current financial year will lapse if the varsity fails to implement the reservation roster in promotion for its non-teaching staff.
In a March 14 communication, issued before the swearing-in of newly-elected chief minister Bhagwant Mann, the state education department asked the varsity to implement the reservation roster for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) employees immediately, failing which the grant-in-aid would lapse.
It was learnt that the varsity conveyed to the government that the matter of reservation in promotion is under the consideration of its governing body.
The communication states that the varsity has not complied with the March 16, 2021 order of the Punjab state commission for scheduled castes.
The commission had, at the time, observed a desire to implement the roster policy in institutes receiving funds from Punjab or the Centre.
The communication also stated that the Punjab state commission for scheduled castes in its March 16, 2021 order had decided that if the roster policy is not implemented, the grant-in-aid to PU from the state government may be withheld.
The development comes after the department of higher education, Punjab, in a communication on February 8, had asked the varsity to take up the matter during its senate meeting.
The February 8 communication also stated that the Punjab state commission for scheduled castes in its March 16, 2021 order had decided that if the roster policy is not implemented, the grant-in-aid to PU from the state government may be withheld.
Matter taken up in last senate
PU senate, during its February 13 meeting, authorised the vice-chancellor (V-C) Raj Kumar to constitute a committee to look into the matter first. During the meeting, however, a few members said there was no provision in the PU calendar to grant reservation in promotions.
Last year, a committee constituted byV-C, had submitted its recommendations, which were discussed in the last senate meeting. During the meeting, it was also outlined that the code of conduct was in place in Punjab in view of assembly elections and some said that the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court of India (SC).
The matter is expected to come up again in the forthcoming meeting of the PU senate, which is scheduled on March 27.
PU registrar Vikram Nayyar said, “In all direct recruitments, the due reservation is already allowed by the University. The matter of reservation in promotion is under the consideration of the governing body.”
