Long overdue
Central status to Panjab University (PU) is long overdue. While all other universities are either Central or state universities, the PU has a unique character of being an inter-state corporate, given the circumstances under which it had been set up.
Given its unique character, the university faces a resource crunch, with the current Budget deficit pegged at over Rs 100 crore. This has been seriously affecting even its routine functioning. With the Punjab government also defaulting on its stipulated share of Rs 40 crore and paying only Rs 12 crore per annum, infrastructure and research and development has been at the receiving end.
In the backdrop of the resource crunch, the university has been forced to introduce self-financing courses, which ultimately burden students and push education beyond the reach of the common man.
Besides this, the university fails to attract the best talent from other universities as retirement age is 60 years, as compared to 65 years at other Central universities. Talented faculty from PU leaves for greener pastures at other Central universities.
Though Central status for the PU is a purely academic issue, it has unnecessarily been politicised by vested interests. Apprehensions that Central status will dilute Punjab’s claim on the PU are misplaced and unfounded. Punjab should be happy that it will get a healthy university whenever Chandigarh is transferred to it than a sick university. Punjab, which is set to have Central universities at Bathinda and Amritsar, has no right to deny Central status for the PU as the pioneer university belongs to the whole of country.
Instead of working at cross-purposes, all stakeholders should sit together and evolve a consensus on Central status. Concerns of a section of non-teaching employees that they will stand to lose if they shift from Punjab pay scales to Central pay scales should be taken care of to avoid any clash of interests in the future. In fact, Central status will go a long way in restoring the lost prestige of the educational institution.
Ashok Goyal is PU senator and syndic
Not desirable
The grant of Central status to the PU is not a panacea for all its ills. In fact, those who think that Central status will solve all its problems are living in a fool’s paradise. Neither needed nor desirable, it will open a Pandora’s box, given Punjab government’s opposition to the proposal.
What we need to do is to tone up the working of teaching and non-teaching departments of the university to put it among top-ranking universities of the world. For that, we need commitment and dedication both from the faculty and non-faculty staff in particular and patronage and support from the government and society in general.
Having an illustrious past, the university has among its alumni distinguished personalities like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Nobel laureate Hargobind Khorana. The uncertain present can be taken care of by better planning and Central status is not a prerequisite for a bright future.
With the implementation of revised UGC pay scales for the teaching and non-teaching staff, the employees’ major financial demands have been met. With the Prime Minister, during his recent visit to the PU, promising all possible support, the demand for Central status does not carry much weight.
The special grant of Rs 50 crore for the university in last year’s Union Budget has to be seen in the backdrop of the fact that it is high on the Centre’s agenda. While monetary and other fringe benefits of Central status may not be much, we may earn the avoidable wrath of the Punjab government.
After all, the university had primarily been set up for the Punjabis uprooted during Partition. Punjab’s claim on it cannot be wished away. The Centre will think twice before granting Central status, given Punjab’s opposition.
What we need is a serious introspection by all stakeholders, the authorities, students and staff. We will have to stem the rot so that the institution regains its lost glory, without caring about Central status. Let 2010 be the year of PU’s regeneration. Manmohan Garg is CEO of Gurukul Vidyapeeth
Source : The Tribune