logo
On last day, campus council president calls for renaming Panjab University to also include Haryana

On last day, campus council president calls for renaming Panjab University to also include Haryana

Hindustan Times30-05-2025
With the term of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council (PUCSC) ending on Thursday, outgoing president Anurag Dalal, hailing from Haryana, has submitted a memorandum to Panjab University (PU) vice-chancellor Renu Vig to change the varsity's name to 'Panjab and Haryana University'.
At the same time, PUCSC vice-president Archit Garg, who hails from Punjab, opposed the move.
Congress' Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda, who backed Anurag's proposal, said he would place the issue in Parliament in its next session.
As per the memorandum, Dalal has pointed out both Punjab and Haryana share historical and cultural, and that it aligns with the already existing nomenclature for the high court.
Deepender Hooda said the council president had approached him, and the demand is genuine. 'It will mean a lot for the students of Haryana to see their representation in PU, considering Chandigarh is also the capital of Haryana, not just Punjab,' he said.
'When 48% of the PU students are Haryanvis, it is their right that the name of Haryana be included.'
He added that with the support of other Congress MPs, he will bring this issue in Parliament.
Meanwhile, PUCSC vice-president Archit Garg said, 'Panjab University's name is iconic. It was the name we chose after the university was relocated from Pakistan. It has its own unique identity. Its name shouldn't be changed.'
In 2023, during the varsity's fourth global alumni meet, Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar had also raked up the issue of PU affiliation to Haryana colleges in nearby districts, like Ambala and Yamunanagar.
Three meetings chaired by former Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit with the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana earlier in 2023 remained inconclusive.
At the time of the Punjab's reorganisation in 1966, PU was declared an 'inter-state body corporate' under Section 72 (1) of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
The affiliation issue has remained a bone of contention, with Haryana offering to bear up to 40% of the total annual expenses of the cash-strapped university in exchange for affiliation to some of the colleges in Ambala, Panchkula and Yamunanagar districts, and Punjab refusing to budge from its stance that the varsity belongs to it alone.
Then Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar had said in the meetings that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, the colleges and regional centres of Haryana were affiliated to PU. However, the arrangement was withdrawn by Haryana in 1973.
Citing National Education Policy and how colleges are even getting affiliated with international universities, Khattar had said Haryana's colleges again be affiliated with PU.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

BDU counting on NAAC reforms for easier re-accreditation
BDU counting on NAAC reforms for easier re-accreditation

Time of India

time3 hours ago

  • Time of India

BDU counting on NAAC reforms for easier re-accreditation

Trichy: Almost 15 months after its accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) expired, Bharathidasan University is yet to apply for re-accreditation, and is now placing its bets on the upcoming reforms by the council which is expected to cut short the laborious re-accreditation process. BDU's third accreditation cycle — through which it received an A+ in April 2019 — expired in Mar 2024. Thereafter, the university did not apply for the fourth cycle of accreditation, drawing flak from academicians who have warned that the university risks losing eligibility to run its distance education programmes. Ineligibility for special grants and central schemes are the other disadvantages. "The license for the distance education programmes expires in February and requires renewal from the Distance Education Bureau (DEB). Without NAAC accreditation, the university cannot apply for it, and it risks losing its financial backbone," said a university source. "We are in the final stages of filing the self study report (SSR). It's a laborious task involving a lot of work, and with our limited resources, manpower, and administrative hurdles, the university is still working to complete it. The new process being planned by NAAC is expected to support our case better," said a senior university official. Officials of NAAC, an autonomous body under the University Grants Commission (UGC), said that among the many upcoming reforms is the increased digitisation of the accreditation process, eliminating the need for field inspections as much as possible. "For Level-1 and Level-2 institutions, it will be made fully online. For Level-3 institutions, it will follow a hybrid model — online processing with field visits by the NAAC team," said Anil Sahasrabudhe, chairman of NAAC's executive council. Sources said the announcement could be made on July 29 by the Union ministry, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of National Education Policy (NEP). "Even recently, BDU did not feature in the ANRF Prime Minister's Professorship scheme for superannuated faculty or scientists. The reasons could be multiple — a few other universities in Tamil Nadu also didn't feature — but such omissions are likely to happen more often if there's no NAAC accreditation," said a senior retired professor. Academicians also criticised the university for relying on reforms that are yet to be officially announced.

Kerala Minister warns against 'saffronising education', slams RSS event in state
Kerala Minister warns against 'saffronising education', slams RSS event in state

India Today

time3 hours ago

  • India Today

Kerala Minister warns against 'saffronising education', slams RSS event in state

Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has strongly condemned what he described as attempts to saffronize the education sector under the guise of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP).His remarks came in response to concerns surrounding the 'Jnan Sabha' program, a higher education conclave held in Ernakulam. The event was organised by Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, an organisation linked to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and was attended by RSS Chief Mohan participation of vice-chancellors from five universities in Kerala in the program drew sharp criticism from the minister. 'The news that the vice-chancellors of five universities in the state are participating in the program led by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is very worrying. Universities should be independent and impartial,' Sivankutty said. He warned against the use of academic institutions for political purposes, saying, 'Using institutions that should emphasise academic excellence and research for political interests will have far-reaching consequences.'The minister stressed that the education sector should not be shaped by any single ideology or political agenda. 'Efforts to bring the education sector under the purview of any particular ideology or political agenda are unacceptable under any circumstances. Education should be accessible and secular for all,' he also expressed concern over attempts by certain organisations to distort education policies for their own benefit. 'It is worrying that some organisations are trying to distort education policies according to their interests.'Reaffirming the state government's stance, the minister said, 'The state government is committed to protecting the general education sector and the higher education sector of Kerala. The government's goal is to ensure an education system that is in line with the basic principles of the Constitution and democratic values.'He concluded by asserting that the public in Kerala will resist any move to impose ideological control over education. 'The public in Kerala will take all steps to resist and defeat the saffronisation efforts and uphold the secular nature of the education sector.'- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala

Condemn efforts to ‘saffronize' education sector in Kerala, says minister V Sivankutty
Condemn efforts to ‘saffronize' education sector in Kerala, says minister V Sivankutty

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Condemn efforts to ‘saffronize' education sector in Kerala, says minister V Sivankutty

T'puram: General education minister V Sivankutty said that the state govt strongly condemns efforts to saffronize the education sector under the guise of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP). He was responding to concerns raised in connection with the 'Jnanasabha' event held in Ernakulam on Sunday. "Attempts to bring the education sector under the influence of any particular ideology or political agenda cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Education should be accessible and secular for everyone. However, it is concerning that some organizations are trying to distort educational policies to suit their interests," the minister said. "It is particularly worrying that the vice-chancellors of five universities in the state are participating in an event led by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Universities should be independent and impartial. Using institutions for political interests will have far-reaching consequences," Sivankutty added. The state govt is committed to protecting Kerala's public and higher education sectors, Sivankutty said. The govt's goal is to ensure an education system that aligns with the fundamental principles of the Constitution and democratic values. The public in Kerala will take all necessary steps to counter attempts at saffronization and uphold the secular nature of the education sector, he added.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store