Rajiv Gandhi law varsity VC resigns

Ravneet Singh
Tribune News Service
Patiala, December 1

Dr Paramjit Singh Jaswal, Vice-Chancellor of the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, has resigned from his post. The Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, who is also the university Chancellor, has accepted the resignation. Dr Jaswal’s 10-year tenure was set to complete on February 6, 2021, but he has resigned in advance.

The RGNUL is already set to get a new VC as its executive council, on November 20, began the process to form a three-member search committee for the purpose by nominating Prof Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, as its nominee. Rumours regarding Dr Jaswal having submitted a resignation started doing the rounds at the same time, though he was present during the executive body meeting. The other two members of the search committee are nominees of the chairman, UGC and the university Chancellor.

The development took place while an inquiry, ordered by the state government into the finances of the university during Dr Jaswal’s tenure, is still pending. The government had ordered the inquiry in May after a CAG report highlighted financial irregularities.

The state government had also demanded information about employees above the age of 65 who were still working at the university. “The government has provided over Rs 200 crore to the university but they were still asking for more funds. We have demanded information regarding their bank accounts and the available funds as well,” an official said. For now, the Chancellor’s office has designated Prof Anand Pawar, the senior-most professor of the university, to perform the functions of the Vice-Chancellor until the new VC assumes office. Dr Jaswal did not respond to calls made on Tuesday evening.