Punjabi University faculty body moves HC over V-C’s appointment

The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought response from the Punjab government on a plea challenging appointment of Arvind Kumar as vice-chancellor (V-C) of Punjabi University, Patiala.

The plea from the faculty body, Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA), was taken up by the high court bench of justice Vinod S Bhardwaj and has sought response from the government as well as from Kumar by April 10. The plea seeks quashing of April 20, 2021, order of the government vide which he was appointed as V-C, claiming that Kumar is not eligible in accordance with minimum conditions prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for appointment of teachers and other academic staff members.