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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
PU forms committee to draft constitution for student council
Chandigarh: Responding to a formal proposal by Panjab University Campus Students' Council (PUCSC) vice president, the university vice chancellor has ordered to set up a five member committee to draft a written constitution for the student body — the first such attempt in the council's history. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Student council vice president Archit Garg, in a letter dated May 27, urged the Vice Chancellor to constitute a drafting committee to address what he described as a "crisis of representation, accountability, and legitimacy." He pointed out that the Council operates without a defined legal or procedural framework, reducing it to a "ceremonial body: visible, but voiceless; elected, but toothless." Acting on this proposal, the university has formed a five-member committee chaired by Professor Nandita from the Department of Education. The other members include Professor Sukhbir Kaur, former DSW (Women) from the Department of Zoology; Professor Ashok Kumar, former associate DSW from the Hindi Department; Professor Jagtar Singh, former DSW from the Department of Biotechnology; and an Assistant Registrar from the DSW office. Professor Nandita has previously chaired high-level committees — examining the functioning of the DSW office, and that framed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for student activities and institutional coordination. The SOPs were in the news earlier this month following new proposals restricting star nights, PUCSC involvement in official events, and introducing clearer rules for student trips — moves that followed the death of student leader Aditya Thakur on campus in March. "The idea is to build clarity and safeguards through proper documentation. A constitution will help define structure without undermining student expression. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We will consult widely before drafting," said Professor Nandita. The PUCSC was formed in the 1970s but has never had a written constitution. The newly formed committee is expected to hold initial consultations before submitting a draft. BOX- Call for student voices in process Welcoming the formation of the committee, Archit Garg said it was a step in the right direction but stressed that students must be given an active role in the drafting process. "Those who have been part of the council and understand its ground functioning must be roped in. Student representation on the committee is essential for legitimacy and accountability," he said. Students oppose proposal to rename PU A proposal to rename Panjab University as Punjab and Haryana University, supported by Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda, has triggered strong opposition from many students. The suggestion was made in a letter from the Punjab University Campus Student Council (PUCSC) president Anurag Dalal to the Vice Chancellor, leading to widespread reaction across the campus and beyond. Several student groups and former student leaders took to social media to express their outrage. SATH, a student organisation, described the proposal as an attack on Punjab's heritage and identity, underlining Panjab University's origins in Lahore as central to its history. The group urged political parties in Punjab to come together to protect the university's name and its connection to Chandigarh. In addition to SATH, other student leaders including Saksham Sharma of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Kanwar Inder Pratap Singh of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) also spoke out against the proposal. Former PUCSC member Karan Randhawa joined them in criticising the suggested name change on social media, calling it inappropriate and stressing the importance of preserving the university's identity. While the proposal has received political backing from Deepender Hooda, many students and members of the university community remain opposed, emphasising the cultural and historical significance of the university's current name. They argue that Panjab University's name reflects its legacy and strong ties to Punjab, which should not be altered. The debate over the proposed name change continues to spark discussion among students, political figures, and other stakeholders, with many calling for the preservation of the university's historic identity.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
On last day, campus council president calls for renaming Panjab University to also include Haryana
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.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Saif Ali Khan becomes ambassador for Sparsh Pearl
HighlightsBollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been appointed as the brand ambassador for Sparsh Pearl, a bathroom fitting company, under a two-year agreement. Sparsh Pearl's Director, Archit Garg, expressed confidence that the collaboration with Saif Ali Khan will enhance the brand's presence in global markets and facilitate strategic expansion. The partnership aims to connect with a more premium, urban audience, leveraging Saif Ali Khan's refined persona and legacy in Indian cinema to align with Sparsh Pearl's brand values. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been roped in as a brand ambassador for Sparsh Pearl , a bathroom fitting company. The 54-year-old actor has signed a two-year agreement and will be the face of 360-degree marketing campaign , spanning television commercials, digital platforms , OTT media, and outdoor advertising for the brand, according to the press note. Director of Sparsh Pearl, Archit Garg, said he believes the collaboration with the actor will strengthen " global markets and open new avenues for strategic expansion" for the company. "With Saif Ali Khan joining us as the face of the brand an icon with international appeal and fan following across the world we're confident this partnership will further strengthen our presence in global markets and open new avenues for strategic expansion," he said in a statement. "Our strength lies in the trust we've earned from our wide network of distributors, dealers, and millions of satisfied customers. With Saif Ali Khan joining us, we aim to reach a more premium, urban audience," Manish Gupta, president of sales and marketing of Sparsh Pearl said. "Saif Ali Khan, with his refined persona and enduring legacy in Indian cinema , perfectly aligns with our brand values. We are confident that this association will help us scale new heights and connect deeply with our customers," chairman and managing director Naresh Garg added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Saif Ali Khan becomes ambassador for Sparsh Pearl
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been roped in as a brand ambassador for Sparsh Pearl , a bathroom fitting company. The 54-year-old actor has signed a two-year agreement and will be the face of 360-degree marketing campaign , spanning television commercials, digital platforms , OTT media, and outdoor advertising for the brand, according to the press of Sparsh Pearl, Archit Garg, said he believes the collaboration with the actor will strengthen " global markets and open new avenues for strategic expansion" for the company."With Saif Ali Khan joining us as the face of the brand an icon with international appeal and fan following across the world we're confident this partnership will further strengthen our presence in global markets and open new avenues for strategic expansion," he said in a statement."Our strength lies in the trust we've earned from our wide network of distributors, dealers, and millions of satisfied customers. With Saif Ali Khan joining us, we aim to reach a more premium, urban audience," Manish Gupta, president of sales and marketing of Sparsh Pearl said."Saif Ali Khan, with his refined persona and enduring legacy in Indian cinema , perfectly aligns with our brand values. We are confident that this association will help us scale new heights and connect deeply with our customers," chairman and managing director Naresh Garg added.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
PU defers exams after student protests
Chandigarh: A day after announcing the resumption of semester exams from May 13, PU Sunday rolled back the decision and postponed the papers scheduled for May 13 and 14. As per the revised schedule, the exams will now begin from May 15, while the PU-Common Entrance Test (CET) (UG) will be held on May decision was taken after strong objections from student bodies, who said most of the students had returned home after the initial deferment of exams last week, and would not be able to return at such short notice, especially amid the anxiety caused by escalating Indo-Pak a fresh notification, the controller of examinations said, the semester exams of May 13 and 14 had been postponed and new dates would be announced later. "The normal schedule of semester examinations will commence with effect from May 15," the notice on Saturday, the university had said exams would resume from May 13, triggering protests from student leaders."Most students had returned home as exams were pushed back earlier. How can they now come back within two or three days for exams? Many are from far-flung states — it's not just about cost, it's about time and safety too," said Archit Garg, vice-president of the Panjab University Campus Students' Council.A meeting of the Dean Student Welfare office with PUCSC representatives on Saturday morning decided to go ahead with the PU-CET (UG) on May 12, saying a further delay would impact the admission schedule. The CET was initially scheduled for May 11 and had already been pushed back Archit Garg dissented during the meeting, citing emotional stress and travel issues faced by students, the majority of members agreed that the test must proceed to avoid a clash with the academic schedule and delayed leaders have now urged PU to issue a clear and final semester exam schedule, giving all students ample time to return and prepar Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
