Panjab University Senate reforms likely by Dec-end

Panjab University is going to witness revamped provisions for its governing body, Senate, by the month-end, confirmed senior officials of the university. The Senate will see a reduction in the number of members from 91 to almost half, on the lines of recommendations made by governance reforms committees constituted in 2018 and 2021, respectively.

The university has not seen any reduction in the number of Senate members since its establishment in 1882.

A number of leaders, including Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, had demanded immediate Senate elections without restructuring the body. While students have been protesting against the delay in holding elections to the Senate, the tenure of which ended on October 31, no notification has been issued in this regard so far.

In 2018 and 2021, committees were formed to suggest reforms. Their recommendations were sent to the Chancellor. In 2018, the committee formed under the chairmanship of Justice Bharat Bhushan Parsoon had recommended a reduction in the number of Senate members from 93 to 46. It was also recommended that the Graduates Constituency be replaced by Post-Graduates Constituency and its size be reduced from 15 to 6; the number of nominated Fellows be reduced from 36 to 8; no Fellow can have more than two terms; the number of polling booths be cut from the existing 282 to possibly only five or six, etc.

Another recommendation was that discussions in Senate be restricted to important policy issues by delegating powers to the Syndicate and streamlining procedures for debates in Senate.

In 2021, the committee under the chairmanship of Prof RP Tiwari, then VC of Central University, Bathinda, had proposed to reduce the Senate’s size from 93 to 47 and curtailing the number of nominated members from 36 to 18.

Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellor Renu Vig said, “Change is the only constant and we need to follow the best practices to ensure healthier academic environment on the campus. Reforms are the need of the hour, in best interest of the university.”