PU plans merger of small centres and departments
Panjab University (PU) has proposed mergers of small departments and centres. A committee, constituted by vice-chancellor (V-C) Raj Kumar and headed by dean university instructions (DUI) Shankarji Jha, will meet on September 30 to take a final call on the proposal.
Panjab University (PU) has proposed mergers of small departments and centres. A committee, constituted by vice-chancellor (V-C) Raj Kumar and headed by dean university instructions (DUI) Shankarji Jha, will meet on September 30 to take a final call on the proposal.
The committee has proposed that all the centres in the University Institute for Emerging Areas in Science and Technology (UIEAST) will be merged with different departments. The committee has also proposed merger of departments having less than six faculties to form schools (see box).
The committee has also proposed that all the teaching and non-teaching staff of these departments will be merged and there will be a single list of the faculty of the school. According to the proposal, the senior-most faculty member will be appointed as chairperson of the school as per university rules, barring those who have earlier served as chairperson.
According to the committee, the merger aims to ensure compliance with National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) requirement to enhance academic performance by sharing infrastructure and human resource.
Several teachers were unhappy with the move, saying that no consultation was sought from the departments are on the verge of merger.
Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) has written to the vice-chancellor, saying that they appreciate the need to comply with the NAAC requirement, but they will never support any move on the part of authorities by keeping the stakeholders in the dark.
PUTA secretary JK Goswamy said, “The university should have consulted the small departments that are going to be merged. There is no representation of PUTA in the committee that has proposed the reorganisation.”
However, DUI Shankarji Jha said, “I will discuss the matter with the V-C. The panel will take up the PUTA representation.”
