The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Saturday, February 24, 2001,
Chandigarh, India

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6-day week likely in 3 universities
K.G. Dutt

Kurukshetra, February 23
The Haryana Government is likely to introduce six-day week in three universities of the state soon. A decision to this effect is reported to have been taken at a meeting of vice-chancellors of the three universities, which was held on February 19. The Haryana Governor and Chancellor of the universities, Babu Parmanand, presided over the meeting.

The meeting, held at Chandigarh, was attended by the Vice-Chancellors of Kurukshetra University, Guru Jambeshwar University (Hisar) and the Maharshi Dayanand University (Rohtak).

Highly placed sources in Raj Bhavan told The Tribune today that the decision would be implemented after discussions at the high-powered committee for Education. The meeting of the committee was earlier scheduled to be held on February 22. However, it could not be held as the Governor and the Chief Minister were not in Chandigarh. The committee comprises the Governor, the Vice-Chancellor of the three universities, the Education Minister, the Secretary Education, the Director of Higher Education and some other members. This is highest policy-making body on education in the State.

It is learnt that after the high-powered committee gives its nod, six-day week would be introduced in Kurukshetra University, GJU, Hisar, and MDU, Rohtak. It is learnt that five-day week in the state’s universities was introduced about five years ago. In some of the universities, the employees’ unions had unilaterally decided to observe five-day week on the pattern of the State Government.

Enquiries made by this correspondent show that the decision to observe five-day week was unilaterally announced the employees’ union of the GJU some time back, in defiance of the orders of the Government for a six-day week. The varsity authorities also initiated action against some of the employees. It is learnt that the present Governor-cum-Chancellor took umbrage at the unilateral decision of the unions. Therefore, he decided to thrash out the issue once and for all.

It is learnt that the meeting of the Vice-Chancellors also discussed the matters relating to the powers of Pro-Vice-Chancellors and appointment of Registrars in the universities. The Raj Bhawan sources pointed out that the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, and the GJU, Dr R.K. Chauhan, expressed reservations regarding giving more powers to Pro Vice-Chancellors, as per the university calendar.

However, the Governor was reported to be of the view that the Pro Vice-Chancellors should be assigned their work as per the university calendar till the present incumbents were in their seats and the post of Pro Vice-Chancellor existed in the three universities.

This matter gained urgency as the Kurukshetra University Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dr Hoshiar Singh, has written to the Governor and taken up the matter with him about assigning him work as per the university statute and calendar. The Pro Vice-Chancellor had taken the stand that work should be assigned to him by the Vice-Chancellor as per the calendar of the university, as both were the appointees of the varsity Chancellor.

Enquiries further showed that the Vice-Chancellor had assigned work to Dr Hoshiar Singh. However, Dr Hoshiar Singh did not reconcile to the orders of the Vice-Chancellor as he felt that the duties assigned to him were not as per the rules and regulations contained in various statutes of the University.

It is learnt that the Pro Vice-Chancellor, while objecting to the order of the Vice-Chancellor issued on July 10, 2000, had said that the order was “neither based on the university Act nor on the past practices.”

However, Mr R.S. Chaudhry, firmly maintained that he had distributed the powers and assigned the work to the Pro Vice-Chancellor as per the University Act and Statutes.

It is learnt that despite opposition by the Vice-Chancellors of Kurukshetra University and GJU, Hisar, the matter is likely to be clinched soon.

The third issue discussed at the meeting related to the appointment of Registrars in universities. The Chancellor felt that the Registrars should be appointed as per the new guidelines of the UGC and should fulfil the qualifications laid down by the UGC. It is learnt that as per the latest UGC guidelines, the incumbent for the post of a Registrar should at least have 15 years of experience in the senior scale.

Enquiries made by The Tribune showed that the Chancellor was keen to resolve different issues and problems rocking the Universities before the start of the next academic session.