Most Panjab University PhD degrees awarded in Science

CHANDIGARH: Of the 324 PhD degrees awarded during the 67th annual convocation at Panjab University, 98 were from the field of Science. Besides, 14 were from pharma sciences, 75 from arts, 34 from education, 43 from languages, 24 from law, 14 from engineering and technology, 11 from business management and commerce, 10 from design and fine arts and one from dairying and animal husbandry.

Addressing the gathering, PU vice-chancellor Prof Arun Kumar Grover said the PU campus comprises more than 75 closely-knit University departments and institutes. He said the university reached out to alumni abroad to promote its interests and that it has filed an application for support from the ‘Institute of Excellence’ window created by MHRD.


The first Shiv Nath Rai Kohli memorial mid-career Best Scientist award, 2017-18 went to Dr Vandana Bhalla, assistant professor, department of chemistry, GNDU, Amritsar for her contribution in the field of chemical sciences. The second recipient wasDr Sanjay Jain, assistant professor, department of pharmaceutics, NIPER, Mohali, in recognition of his research contribution in the field of pharmaceutical sciences.


The award, comprising a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and citation for research in institutions of higher education located in Chandigarh and Punjab has been instituted from this year, with the corpus set up by R K Kohli, vice-chancellor, Central University of Punjab and former DUI, PU, Chandigarh in memory of his father, late Shiv Nath Rai Kohli.


The Chancellor inaugurated the National academic depository online degree at PU from the next academic session, which is part of the digitization scheme of the Government of India. Degrees awarded to postgraduate students were also available online.