Proposal to hike fee sent back to panel

CHANDIGARH, March 17: After heated debates on the issue of hiking the existing fee in colleges and teaching departments, members of the P...

CHANDIGARH, March 17: After heated debates on the issue of hiking the existing fee in colleges and teaching departments, members of the Punjab University syndicate in a meeting held late this evening reportedly referred the matter back to the committee on fee revision which had proposed the hike, adding five more members to the committee.

Later, a delegation comprising three syndics met the students who had been fasting outside the Vice-Chancellor8217;s office and impressed upon them to break the fast amid cheers and slogan shouting.

The lathi-charge on protesting teachers on March 12, was also deplored by syndics. The revised budget estimates for the year 1998-99 at Rs 72.46 crore and the year 1999-2000 at Rs 73.17 crore were also approved today, Registrar Prof Paramjit Singh informed through a press release late tonight.

The university has also conferred honorary D.Litt on Amartya Sen and Mulk Raj Anand, D.Sc on Shok Vijh and Ll.D on former prime minister I.K. Gujral. D.Litt was also awarded to Harnam Singh Shan, it was added.

While the syndicate decided to confirm the appointment of Dr Sodhi Ram as Controller of Examinations, and certain other employees, a separate committee was reportedly constituted to look into the appointments of the three university deans.

The terms of Prof R.S. Grewal Dean Students Welfare, Prof R.C. Sobti Dean Alumni Relations and Prof R.K. Kakkar Dean Foriegn Students come to an end on March 31 this year. The committee comprises syndics Rajinder Deepa, Ashok Goyal, Dr R.N. Sharma, Rajinder Bhandari, Prof V.K. Bansal, Dr Deepak Manmohan Singh and Dr K.S. Chugh, reliable sources said.

The confirmation of Sodhi Ram8217;s appointment was deferred by the syndicate in its earlier meeting held on January 10.

Story continues below this ad

The members who have been added to the fee revision committee include Rajinder Deepa, Ashok Goyal, Rajinder Bhandari, Anmol Rattan Sidhu and S.S. Hundal, it was added.

Meanwhile, the syndicate today approved the recommendation of a special committee to create 70 additional seats for Foreign, NRI and NRI-sponsored candidates in various departments of the university. The fee proposed to be charged for each of the courses from the students will range between 1,000 to 3,000 US dollars.

Former syndic Charanjit Chawla had proposed in the syndicate meeting on November 2 that the senior-most teacher of an affiliated college be appointed acting principal in case a vacancy occurs. The resolution was carried through today, sources said.

The university syndicate has also approved award of degrees of Ph.D to 16 persons.