Former PU VC to head PGI ethics panel

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 25

Former Vice-Chancellor of Panjab University Dr KN Pathak has been appointed the chairperson of PGI Ethics Committee.

Prof Pathak was the Vice-Chancellor of PU from 2000 to 2006. Various departments and centres such as the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Dr Harbans Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, MTech programme in nanoscience and nanotechnology and regional centres in Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur were started during his tenure.

He is a fellow of all three top Indian science academies, including INSA, IASc and NASI. Prof Pathak has made immense contribution to the education sector. He has also made distinct contributions in the understanding of liquid state dynamics, quantum liquid, electron correlations in coulomb fluids and phonon-phonon interaction in solids.

Notably, Chandigarh Tribune had, on February 19, highlighted how the PGI had violated the rules by appointing Dr GD Puri, head, Department of Anaesthesia, as the chairman of the Ethics Committee, following which the PGI had withdrawn its order on February 21 and initiated the process of reconstituting the Ethics Committee. To ensure a fair and free decision, it is mandatory that the chairman of the committee is appointed from outside the institute.