More varsity teachers in senate

CHANDIGARH, Sept 30: The Punjab University Teachers Association PUTA has demanded more representation for university teachers in the PU...

CHANDIGARH, Sept 30: The Punjab University Teachers Association PUTA has demanded more representation for university teachers in the PU senate. This follows the defreezing of eight senate seats, earlier meant for teachers and principals of Haryana, which were frozen following the disaffiliation of Haryana colleges from the Panjab University.

However, various college teachers8217; unions have criticised PUTA8217;s demand to allocate the seats to the university teachers. The Association of Principals of Non-Governmental Colleges in a statement to the press had stated that these eight seats 8212; four each for principals and teachers 8212; be given to college teachers, as college teachers remain largely under-represented in the senate.

However, PUTA president P.P. Arya and former president PUTA, Satya P. Gautam, today said that while 90 per cent of the items on the senate8217;s agenda involve matters concerning university teachers, it was highly unfair that only four members represented the entire section of university teachers.

Commenting on statements made by college teachers, Arya said: quot;We are not opposed to the allotment of more seats to college teachers and principals, but at the same time we want more representation for university teachers too. He pointed out that, as per the 1978 agreement between PUTA and university authorities, university teachers were promised 18 seats in the senate. quot;The matter still lies unresolved after a span of 21 years, so university authorities should take it up immediately with PUTA,quot; said Gautam.

He said that university departments had grown manifold and the number of teachers on the campus had respectively increased. quot;The whole system needs to be reviewed. There should be more representation of academicians for the obvious fact that only an academician can understand, gauge and resolve matters concerning an institution of learning. In fact, some seats allocated to non-academicians should be converted for university teachers.quot;

Arya and Gautam argued that when the appointments, promotions and budgetary problems of the university teachers are resolved by the senate, under-representation of university teachers was unjust.