PU syndicate meet on Feb 22, fee hike on the cards

If university has its way, a substantial increase in tuition fees, hostel fees, renting auditoriums and lawns of the university is on the cards.

The Panjab University (PU) syndicate, in its meeting on February 22, will take a call on the recommendation of a committee which has advocated for increase in the rates of renting out university department auditoriums, Nehru Complex and university lawns by approximately 50 to 100% to renteers.

The university auditorium, which now costs Rs 5,000 (with air-conditioner) to a university department or individual, will cost Rs 7,000 excluding various other charges.

The syndicate will also consider the decision of PU fee committee to increase charges for self finance courses by 10% and upto 20% tuition fee for other courses.

The fee hike is to be implemented from next academic session and only for first year students. Others charges like car-parking fee, dinner and special function fee have also been proposed but only for first year students. The 10% fee hike, each in examination fee and hostel charges, is also proposed and will be discussed by the syndicate in its meet.

The template for recruitment of associate professors and professors for recruitment in university and regional centres is also likely to be tabled before the syndicate.

The decision of board of finance to authorise to re-appropriate funds from one budget head to another and approve non-plan revised estimated deficit of Rs 201 crore for 2013 and 288 crore for the year 2014-15 is also to be put up before the syndicate.

The matter of allocation of Rs 11-crore budget for diesel generator sets for uninterrupted power supply to guest houses, V-C office and administrative block and additional annual expenses of Rs 11 lakh for upkeep will also be put up before the syndicate.

The syndicate will also consider creation of 13 additional posts of assistant professors in four constituent colleges of Nawanshahar, Ferozepur, Moga and Sri Muktsar Sahib in Punjab, Rs three crore for starting construction of a hostel for Panjab University's female research scholars on the campus and Rs one crore for construction of academic block at PU regional centre Sri Muktsar Sahib.

The syndicate will also consider recommendations of a committee which has recommend that headship be given to law professors only in university institute of legal studies at PU campus and incumbent head, Sangeeta Bhalla, be given three-year re-appointment.

A PU senator is likely to sit on hunger strike from Monday demanding rotation of headship in the same department.

The syndicate may also take a call whether post-graduate diploma in Hindi and Punjabi journalism be suspended in the university. The department had been claiming that it had been becoming unviable as they were not getting students. The syndicate will also discuss recommendation of a PU committee which had recommended that admissions to dental sciences college be made through pre-medical and dental examination conducted by Central Board of School Education (CBSE).

PU is likely to award four of its alumnus in March. A committee has recommended Vigyan Rattan award for 2013 to Nitya Aanad, former director of central Drug Research Institute and fellow of national academy of sciences, Allahabad, and director, microbial technology, Chandigarh, Girish Sahni for 2014. The Udyog Rattan award has been proposed to Sukh Dev, who worked in the field of organic chemistry and Dr FC Kohli, emeritus chairperson, Tata Consultancy Services, Mumbai. The PU is also likely to confer Akhtar Mahmood, a biochemistry professor with professor emeritus title. The university is also contemplating making the award of title for ten year only.