Punjabi University employees hold dharna, demand extension for VC Arvind

Mohit Khanna

Patiala, April 25

Employees of the Punjabi University here have been staging a protest and demanding extension for the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Arvind, whose term ended today.

Instrumental in bringing grants

Prof Arvind has been instrumental in bringing the university back on track. We have started receiving grants and salaries in time. The government has been given wrong information about the Vice-Chancellor and we demand that he should be given an extension. — Gurpreet Singh, Punjabi University Karamchari Sangh (B & C Non-Teaching) secretary

Majority of those protesting included non-teaching staff of the university. The protesting employees, who sat in front of the university gate holding placards, demanded an extension for the VC as according to them he had been instrumental in bringing the university out of the financial crisis. The protesting employees said it was due to the efforts of Prof Arvind that they had started receiving salaries on time.

Punjabi University Karamchari Sangh (B & C Non-Teaching) secretary Gurpreet Singh said the university was grappling with acute financial crisis. The VCs before him had to run the institution by selling university land and closing FDs before maturity. “Prof Arvind has been instrumental in bringing the university back on track. We have started receiving grants and salaries on time. The government has been given wrong information about the VC and we demand that he should be given an extension,” said Gurpreet.

Majority of the VCs have got extensions. Earlier, Sarwan Singh Boparai, who was appointed in 2002 had completed two terms, while Dr Jaspal Singh served for three terms. Dr BS Ghuman, who became VC in 2017, was also offered extension, but he expressed inability to continue, following which Prof Arvid was appointed as the next VC.

However, Punjabi University Karamchari Sangh president Rajinder Singh Bagria dissociated from the protest and maintained that the union was not part of the protest and it was being staged by some employees of the university.

With the state government remaining undecided on extending the tenure of Prof Arvind, Governor Banwarilal Purohit gave the charge of VC to the Secretary, Higher Education, Kamal Kishore Yadav for three months from April 26 in addition to his present duty.

A former Indian Institute of Science and Research, Mohali, dean, research and development, Prof Arvind was appointed the VC of the university in April 2021 for three years. He had strained relations with Punjabi University Teachers Association (PUTA) and the latter even challenged his appointment in the high court.

Meanwhile, Navjot Kaur has also tendered resignation from the post of the registrar.