Punjab’s first open varsity to get permanent home in Sangrur’s Lehra

Punjab edu dept has finalised a proposal to move the university to Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lehra, campus which has been lying vacant for the past three years

Sangrur to get its first university as the higher education department has decided to shift Jagat Guru Nanak Dev Punjab State Open University (JGND PSOU) from Patiala to Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lehra, in Sangrur.

Education department has finalised a proposal to move the university to Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lehra, campus which has been lying vacant for the past three years. (HT File)

The campus of the institute has been lying closed for the past three years and will now house the first open university of the state as per the department proposal finalised, which will be tabled before the cabinet in its next meeting, said an official privy with the development.

The university was established on December 20, 2019, to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism. The academic session commenced in 2021, and the university is being run from various government offices on a makeshift basis.

University vice-chancellor professor Karamjeet Singh said that as of now the varsity is being run from the house of principal of government Mohinder College and Government College of Physical Education at Patiala.

“Earlier, the government had acquired 42 acres of land at Tarora village, but locals did not let the government take the possession. Later, 30 acres were acquired at Paharpur village and transferred in the name of the university. But locals again staged a protest at the site. Therefore, the university could not take possession of the land,” he said.

Presently, around 3,000 students are enrolled in all certificate and degree courses. The institution offers a total of 105 learning centres across the state, and 65 teaching and non-teaching employees are working at the university.

The building of Lehra Institute has been lying unused since the college stopped admission to the four-year engineering courses in 2020.

The institute was started as a polytechnic college in 1995. Later, in 2005, the institute was recreated as an autonomous body named after freedom fighter Baba Hira Singh Bhattal, father of former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.

Confirming the development, higher education minister Harjot Bains said, “The proposal was prepared on the direction of chief minister Bhagwant Mann. The university will be shifted to the campus of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology after following the due procedure of rules and regulations, including the approval of the cabinet.”

He informed that around 50 employees of the college have told the department that they wanted to continue their service. Therefore, they will be adjusted.