V-C forms five-member panel to frame criteria for key PU posts

“As the interview committee team could not find any suitable candidate for these three posts,a special committee has been formed under the chairmanship of former PU V-C Prof R P Bhamba. The other members are former Panjab University Arts Faculty Dean Prof B S Ghuman,senior Senate member Prof G K Chatrath,Senate member Prof Sadanand and incumbent Registrar Prof S S Bari,” said Prof R C Sobti.

The Committee has been formed as a time-bound measure to resolve the issue of selection of the three key posts. “Only after the report is submitted will the University release an advertisement citing the qualification and eligibility criteria and inviting applications for the posts,” added Prof Sobti.

The interviews for all these three administrative posts was scheduled on August 25 but was mired under controversies over the eligibility and selection criteria followed by the University. Though the University has maintained that the selection committee did not find any suitable candidate for these posts despite interviews conducted by it,it is reported that it was actually after newspapers reports related to an RTI query that the selection process was scrapped.

The RTI questioned the qualification of some of the candidates as well as their minimum administrative experience. Another administrative post that has been dogged by controversy is that of Associate Dean College Development Council (ADCDC). The Principals’ Association of non-government colleges affiliated to Panjab University has over the previous month staged repeated protests against the appointment of Professor Keshav Malhotra as ADCDC.

It was only after the association submitted a representation to the V-C demanding Prof Malhotra’s removal that the V-C formed a committee to inquire into the matter and submit a report on the veracity of the charges. So far,no decision has been taken in this matter.