GNDU, Pbi University get new VCs
Tribune Reporters
Chandigarh/Amritsar, Aug 14
The state government today appointed Jaspal Singh Sandhu as the Vice-Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, and BS Ghuman as the VC of Punjabi University, Patiala.
Both have been appointed for a three-year term.
Sandhu is the Secretary, University Grants Commission (UGC), and a Professor in the Department of Sports Medicine and Physiotherapy, GNDU.
He told The Tribune, “It is a huge responsibility and I will do my best.”
Before joining as the UGC Secretary, he held several academic and administrative positions in GNDU. He had, in 2004, established the first Department of Sports Medicine in an Indian university. The UGC recognised it under the “Centre with Potential for Excellence in Particular Area” programme.
Ghuman is the Dean, Faculty of Arts, and Professor, Department of Public Administration, Panjab University (PU). He completed Masters in Economics from Punjabi University and M Phil and PhD from GNDU. He has 37 years of teaching experience and written three books. Ghuman has been on the Senate of the PU and GNDU.
A five-member selection committee headed by former Punjab Tractors’ Limited chairman Chander Mohan had shortlisted six names — three for each university — and sent them to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
After selecting the persons, the CM recommended their names to Governor VP Singh Badnore for his assent.
In all, 271 persons had applied for the posts. Sources said 175 persons were shortlisted and, of them, 31 were called for interview on August 10-11. Subsequently, a panel of three persons for the two universities each was sent to the CM.
The selection committee included the Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education), PAU Vice-Chancellor, and former Director General of Pushpa Gujral Science City.
