PU Publication Bureau ‘runs’ on manual machines,clerical staff

At present,the bureau is being run by the clerical staff. The posts of Secretary and Manager have been vacant for 20 years now. The post of secretary,Publication Bureau,is equivalent to the post of the University Registrar.

Absence of a marketing section and editorial board is just one of the reasons that stops faculty members from publishing their works at the bureau.

“A Publication Bureau of any university is a matter of prestige,but we at PU don’t seem to understand. To run a Publication Bureau is not the work of amateurs. Professionals are required. No expert would advice an individual to go for a book published by PU’s Publication Bureau. We need to turn towards experts if we want to save this bureau,” a faculty member said on condition of anonymity.

At the bureau,machines installed in 1989 are used to publish books — only one new machine was purchased in 2001.

A couple of years ago,a committee was formed to look into the matter,but it has met only once till date.

Talking to Newsline,Prof Shelly Walia,a member of the committee,said,“We met once and discussed the steps needed to revive the bureau,but then things never worked out and the committee never met again. I have made a number of suggestions — the need of an editorial board tops the list.”

PU Vice-Chancellor Prof R C Sobti agrees that the bureau needs to be revived. “I understand that we need to improve the state of the Publication Bureau. I have prepared a proposal under which both the University Press and Publication Bureau will come under one head. The university is waiting for some grants. The moment we receive them,we will work towards upgrading the bureau. We plan to do away with the manual machines.”