Showcause notices to 63 PU-affiliated colleges

The National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) has issued showcause notices to 63 BEd colleges affiliated with Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh. The decision was taken by the Northern Regional Committee on the basis of a report submitted by the university, pointing out deficiencies in the colleges under Section 17 of the NCTE Act, 1993. The colleges have been given 30 days to send their replies.

The university has sent the report of periodic inspections conducted in various affiliated BEd colleges to the NCTE for further action. The inspections were carried out in 2011.

Of the 63 colleges, 17 are in Ludhiana, 11 (Moga), 10 (Muktsar), eight (Hoshiarpur), six (Ferozepur), four (Chandigarh), three (Abohar) and two each in Fazilka and Nawanshahr.

Talking to Hindustan Times, PU syndicate and senate member Tarlok Bandhu, said, "PU should have taken action against the erring colleges instead of asking the NCTE to do the needful. If the university can provide affiliation to the colleges, then why can't it take action against them?"

SS Sangha, principal, Dasmesh Girls College of Education, Badal (Muktsar) and a senate member and dean, faculty of education, PU, said, "It is the responsibility of the university to handle the colleges affiliated with it."
Naval Kishore, dean, colleges, PU, said, "We have written to the NCTE but I am not aware that showcause notices have been issued to the colleges."

When asked why the university had not taken action against the colleges on its own, he replied that there were several decisions which could be taken by the NCTE.

Ravinder Kaur, principal of Malwa Central College of Education for Women, Ludhiana, said, "We have received no showcause notice from the NCTE till now."