Punjabi University Syndicate approves sops for faculty, staff

The Syndicate also decided to honour the coaches of sports teams, who won the All-India inter-university competitions for ten and five years consecutively, with cash prizes worth Rs one lakh and Rs 50,000, respectively.

It also granted approval for the purchase of a staff car and a 32-seater bus for the Sports department, while increasing the officiating charges from Rs 125 to Rs 200 per day.

The Syndicate also increased the remuneration amount for the guest lecturers from Rs 300 to Rs 500 per lecture for the one-hour period and from Rs 200 to Rs 350 for the 40-minute period.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh earlier appreciated the Punjab government’s initiative to make Punjabi language compulsory through legislation and for giving Rs 23 crore as grant to the university for establishing a Science and Technology Complex and a religion-cultural complex at Talwandi Sabo.

The V-C congratulated the university officials for having been declared as the “Best Sports University” in the country by winning the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy.

The Syndicate approved the amendment in the existing rules of promotion for the senior assistants and senior stenographers to superintendents and personal assistants, respectively simply on the basis of seniority-cum-merit, following recommendations of the Screening Committee appointed by the Vice-Chancellor.

Previously, they have had to appear before a selection committee after having been recommended by the screening committee. It also consented to adopt Punjab Government’s notification for appointments in the University on compassionate grounds.

For the poor and meritorious students, the Syndicate said that they will award scholarships.

Scholarships of Rs 250 per month will be given to 10 meritorious students, including five boys and five girls in the departments of Hindi, Punjabi, Sanskrit and Library Science.

Besides, Rs 250 per month scholarship will be given to the student who tops the merit list at the time of admission in the Master of Library Science department. The Syndicate also approved English, Punjabi and Hindi as mediums of examination for B Ed course.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor welcomed the new members of the Syndicate, including S M Verma (head of Dept of Correspondence Courses), Manju Verma (Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences), R C Verma (Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences), Charanjit Singh (Dean, Faculty of Law), A K Sikri (Head of Physics department), Darshana Sharma (Principal, S D Kanya Mahavidyala, Mansa), Indra Bagga( Principal, GCG, Patiala) and Kulwant Kaur(Principal, Ranbir College, Sangrur).

The Syndicate also gave its nod to the appointment of M S Saini as Dean of the Academic Affairs, while S S Khehra was given a one-year extension as the registrar. Devinder Singh was given the additional charge of Director, Planning and Monitoring.

Punjabi University to set up centre for Sikh Studies

The Punjabi University will set up a Centre for Sikh Studies at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district to disseminate the philosophy and theology of Sikhism. The centre will also promote the ethos of comparative study of different religions.

Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh declared this while inaugurating a seminar on “Shabad Guru Granth Sahib” on Guru Kashi campus at Talwandi Sabo yesterday.

He asked the Sikh scholars to prepare a blueprint for the centre so that the project can be completed as soon as possible.

Talking about the spiritual aspect of Guru Granth Sahib, Singh said that the scripture, besides being unique in many respects was an embodiment of “direct and participatory democracy” and of a true pluralistic society. It also contains a motivational element to encourage dialogue on different religious and spiritual aspects.