News / Author / Surender Sharma

Surender Sharma

Surender Sharma is a principal correspondent at Chandigarh. He covers Punjab and Haryana high court.

Articles by Surender Sharma

PU to take call on vehicle-free zones today

Panjab University mulls declaring its campus a vehicle free zone during election.

cities

Updated on Aug 26, 2014 11:15 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU tightens noose around student parties' expenditure

With polls approaching, Panjab University has decided to check reckless spending by student bodies. The varsity will keep a record of their expenditure. Student parties in PU are notorious for reckless spending on tents and decorations in the run-up to student polls.

cities

Updated on Aug 27, 2014 06:25 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

‘Trained’ student leaders ready for big fight

Mock question-answer sessions, dressing tips and speeches with precise scripts. No, these are not training sessions for job interviews. These are, in fact, a part of over a month-long programme by various political bodies functioning at Panjab University in preparation for the upcoming student body elections.

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Updated on Aug 25, 2014 11:11 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Student bodies’ protests on PU campus draws flak

As the Panjab University Campus Student Council elections approach, protests undertaken by student parties have began to drawing flak from both PU officials as well as student organisations themselves.

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Updated on Aug 24, 2014 02:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Eyeing poll gains, new outfits sprout on campus

The hype over international university rankings and the new found opportunity to bargain for advantages while forming poll alliances, have resulted in new students’ groups cropping up on the Panjab University campus almost every week during the past two months.

cities

Updated on Aug 20, 2014 11:13 AM IST

None | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU to assign fixed time slots for political events on south campus

With South campus witnessing frequent brawls between various students’ groups, Panjab University has decided to allot fixed time slots to them to hold political events like rallies, announcement sessions and other activities at the Sector-25 campus, which mostly houses professional institutes like University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Dental Sciences college and University Institute of Applied Management Studies (UIAMS) among others.

cities

Updated on Aug 19, 2014 11:30 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma

To please them all, it is raining posts for PU polls

With elections becoming expensive with each passing year and aspirations of student leaders difficult to deal with, the student parties on the campus are on a spree to distribute posts. Not a single day passes without any announcement on the campus about various posts.

cities

Updated on Aug 17, 2014 02:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Panjab University to ask police to probe campus defacement

Several student leaders belonging to various groups are in for trouble after the Panjab University has recorded over 50 defacement violations by the the student leaders. PU officials said they would now request the police to conduct an inquiry into the matter and take necessary action against those responsible.

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Updated on Aug 14, 2014 11:31 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU admn yet to review guidelines for student polls

Panjab University (PU) is yet to conduct a periodic review of guidelines for student elections despite repeated demands by student organisations and recommendations by former chief election commissioner James Michael Lyngdoh, who had outlined the guidelines for student council elections in the country in 2006.

cities

Updated on Aug 12, 2014 11:45 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Even after a year, PU lacks mechanism to deal with violence in student politics

Even after the Panjab University (PU) saw widespread hooliganism, violence and poll violations during the student council polls in September, 2013, the university authorities have still not been able to come up with a mechanism to deal with it even after an year.

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Updated on Aug 11, 2014 01:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Hiccups aside, PU student council manages to put up a united front

The Panjab University Student Council elected for the 2013-14 academic session had got off to a bumpy start with four members representing three different student groups winning the top posts. Two of them, including that of the president, had gone to the National Students Union of India (NSUI), which had been accused of using unfair means to corner them.

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Updated on Aug 07, 2014 12:49 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU’s student centre may close early

In the wake of increased tension on the campus, the Student Centre of Panjab University (PU) would be required to shut its shop early. In a letter to dean of student welfare, PU, Navdeep Goyal, and PU registrar AK Bhandari, chief security officer Jatinder Grover had asked the university to shut its student centre by 7.30pm and department canteens by 6pm every day.

cities

Updated on Aug 07, 2014 10:06 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Panjab University bans hockey sticks, cricket bats in hostels

Following frequent incidents of violence on the campus, the Panjab University administration has barred hostellers from keeping sports items like hockey sticks and cricket bats in their rooms. Only students who have been issued cards by the sports department will be allowed to possess such items in varsity hostels.

cities

Updated on Aug 05, 2014 09:21 AM IST

None | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Uncertainty over LLM counselling

Aspirants for a post-graduate law degree at Panjab University are a confused lot with very little clarity on the duration of the post-graduate course LLM (Masters in Law).

cities

Updated on Aug 04, 2014 09:22 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Shop construction at PU Students’ Centre could threaten heritage

In what could damage the architectural glory of the historic student centre at Punjab University, the varsity authorities have allowed the construction of a shop on the ground floor.

cities

Updated on Aug 03, 2014 03:27 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU plans to conduct BDS test again to fill up vacant seats

With almost half the seats for bachelor of dental sciences (BDS) course lying vacant at Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University, for the academic session 2014-15, the institute now plans to conduct another test for admission to its five-year BDS course.

cities

Updated on Jul 30, 2014 12:27 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PUTA elections: Final voters’ list delayed

The preparation of final list of voters for Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) elections scheduled for August 12, has been delayed. The list, which was to be sent out to the voters by the evening of July 28 was not completed as PUTA managed to prepare a list of about 612 members only till Monday as opposed to 647 in last year’s elections.

cities

Updated on Jul 29, 2014 12:20 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Session on, colleges under PU to have 214 working days

With the introduction of the semester system for Panjab University’s undergraduate courses, colleges affiliated to the university in Punjab and Chandigarh will now conduct classes for 214 days a year.

cities

Updated on Jul 27, 2014 01:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Grover’s two-year tenure at helm of PU a mixed bag

It has been quite an eventful journey, with its ups and downs all along, for Panjab University vice chancellor AK Grover, who completed two years in office on Wednesday. During his tenure, the 61-yearold physicist, who was earlier a professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bombay, has managed to survive controversies including the one over the appointment of his wife, Neera Grover, in a university department, not to mention frequent faceoffs on administrative issues with varsity syndics.

cities

Updated on Jul 23, 2014 11:12 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PhD faculty members at PU yet to get increments

A hundred-odd Panjab University faculty members who had a PhD when they were appointed, or had earned the degree during their tenure, have been waiting for almost four years to get the salary increments mandated by the University Grants Commission in its regulations announced in 2009.

cities

Updated on Jul 18, 2014 11:12 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Move to scrap separate cutoff for sports draws flak

The Joint Admission Committee’s (JAC) move to not to have separate cutoff for admissions under sports quota for five engineering and the region’s lone architecture college has drawn flak from a section of aspirants.

cities

Updated on Jul 16, 2014 12:50 PM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Only online counselling this year at PEC, five other tech colleges

Five engineering and an architecture college in the region will conduct only online counselling for admissions this year. Around 2,500 seats are to be filled through the new system this year.

cities

Updated on Jul 06, 2014 08:30 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

I’m not to blame for leak: LLB coordinator

Professor Vijay Nagpal, coordinator of the threeyear law course (LLB) at Panjab University, on Wednesday said the LLB entrance paper leak last month could not be blamed on his office. The paper, which got leaked, changed hands “five to six times” between his office and the examination centre, he underlined.

cities

Updated on Jul 03, 2014 11:45 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU depts against screening of existing guest lecturers

Days after the registrar of Panjab University sent a letter exempting new guest faculty members once engaged by the university from being screened every year, various departments of the university have sought the university’s permission to continue with their already-engaged guest lecturers.

cities

Updated on Jun 29, 2014 09:16 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

Panjab university does away with screening guest faculty

Panjab University guest faculty members will no longer have to undergo a screening process every year. The varsity administration has now around 300 guest lecturers who have already been appointed to teach without appearing for any interviews.

cities

Updated on Jun 28, 2014 08:37 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU decks up for UGC chairman’s visit in August

Taking lessons from the previous instances of poor handling of high-profile visits, Panjab University has appointed a high-level 10-member committee to look after the preparations for University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Ved Prakash’s visit in August.

cities

Updated on Jun 25, 2014 08:29 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU law entrance paper leak case: Probe panel yet to submit report

Two weeks after charges of paper leak marred the entrance exam of the Panjab University’s three-year law course, the probe committee set up by the varsity continues to dawdle over the submission of its report.

cities

Updated on Jun 24, 2014 10:24 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

PU move to reduce traffic congestion

To reduce traffic congestion, Panjab University has decided to allot hostels to the students of the south campus, Sector 25, on that campus only.

cities

Updated on Jun 23, 2014 10:03 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

BJP to prepare report on working of city bureaucrats

The face-off with the UT administration over the issue of holding of the Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) meeting has come as a surprise for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in Chandigarh.

cities

Updated on Jun 22, 2014 08:27 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

At PU, clearing English proficiency test must for foreign students pursuing PhD

Panjab University (PU) has made it mandatory for foreign students applying for enrolment in PhD programmes to clear English language proficiency test from academic session 2014-15.

cities

Updated on Jun 21, 2014 10:52 AM IST

Hindustan Times | BySurender Sharma, Chandigarh

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Surender Sharma

Surender Sharma is a principal correspondent at Chandigarh. He covers Punjab and Haryana high court.

Panjab University mulls declaring its campus a vehicle free zone during election.

With polls approaching, Panjab University has decided to check reckless spending by student bodies. The varsity will keep a record of their expenditure. Student parties in PU are notorious for reckless spending on tents and decorations in the run-up to student polls.

As the Panjab University Campus Student Council elections approach, protests undertaken by student parties have began to drawing flak from both PU officials as well as student organisations themselves.

The hype over international university rankings and the new found opportunity to bargain for advantages while forming poll alliances, have resulted in new students’ groups cropping up on the Panjab University campus almost every week during the past two months.

With elections becoming expensive with each passing year and aspirations of student leaders difficult to deal with, the student parties on the campus are on a spree to distribute posts. Not a single day passes without any announcement on the campus about various posts.

Even after the Panjab University (PU) saw widespread hooliganism, violence and poll violations during the student council polls in September, 2013, the university authorities have still not been able to come up with a mechanism to deal with it even after an year.

Aspirants for a post-graduate law degree at Panjab University are a confused lot with very little clarity on the duration of the post-graduate course LLM (Masters in Law).

In what could damage the architectural glory of the historic student centre at Punjab University, the varsity authorities have allowed the construction of a shop on the ground floor.

With almost half the seats for bachelor of dental sciences (BDS) course lying vacant at Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Panjab University, for the academic session 2014-15, the institute now plans to conduct another test for admission to its five-year BDS course.

With the introduction of the semester system for Panjab University’s undergraduate courses, colleges affiliated to the university in Punjab and Chandigarh will now conduct classes for 214 days a year.

A hundred-odd Panjab University faculty members who had a PhD when they were appointed, or had earned the degree during their tenure, have been waiting for almost four years to get the salary increments mandated by the University Grants Commission in its regulations announced in 2009.

The Joint Admission Committee’s (JAC) move to not to have separate cutoff for admissions under sports quota for five engineering and the region’s lone architecture college has drawn flak from a section of aspirants.

Five engineering and an architecture college in the region will conduct only online counselling for admissions this year. Around 2,500 seats are to be filled through the new system this year.

Days after the registrar of Panjab University sent a letter exempting new guest faculty members once engaged by the university from being screened every year, various departments of the university have sought the university’s permission to continue with their already-engaged guest lecturers.

Panjab University guest faculty members will no longer have to undergo a screening process every year. The varsity administration has now around 300 guest lecturers who have already been appointed to teach without appearing for any interviews.

Taking lessons from the previous instances of poor handling of high-profile visits, Panjab University has appointed a high-level 10-member committee to look after the preparations for University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Ved Prakash’s visit in August.

Two weeks after charges of paper leak marred the entrance exam of the Panjab University’s three-year law course, the probe committee set up by the varsity continues to dawdle over the submission of its report.

To reduce traffic congestion, Panjab University has decided to allot hostels to the students of the south campus, Sector 25, on that campus only.

The face-off with the UT administration over the issue of holding of the Administrator’s Advisory Council (AAC) meeting has come as a surprise for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in Chandigarh.

Panjab University (PU) has made it mandatory for foreign students applying for enrolment in PhD programmes to clear English language proficiency test from academic session 2014-15.

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