Panjab University’s central status: MHA, UT officers hold meet

CHANDIGARH: The ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the UT administration officers on Thursday held a meeting over Panjab University’s central university status.
In May, the Punjab and Haryana high court had directed the central government, through the MHA and the ministry of education, to consider the issue of conversion of PU to a central university.
“The character of the university as an inter-state body already stands extinguished…Punjab is having only the affiliating facility with consequential benefits, even that on financial contributions,” the bench of Justice Rajbir Sehrawat had observed, seeking response from Union ministries after taking a “conscious decision” by August 30.
UT adviser Dharam Pal, who was in Delhi to attend a meeting with MHA officials, said they discussed the legal status of the ongoing case in the HC and also the pros and cons of the conversion of PU into a central university. The final decision will be taken by the Union ministry, he said. The high court, in its order, had observed, “Let the decision taken by the central government, at least in-principle, be placed before the court on the next date of hearing.”
The court was hearing a plea of a retired PU teacher, Sangeeta Bhalla, who superannuated at the age of 60 and sought extension of service till 65 years.
In 2016, a single-judge HC bench had dismissed PU teachers’ plea on the same demand. The decision was stayed by the division bench. Since then, those retiring from PU have to approach the HC for extension of service.
The Centre has previously maintained that PU’s status was that of an inter-state body corporate, in view of the stake of the Punjab government. Successive Punjab governments have been opposing change in its status, irrespective of the party in power in the state.
The court had observed that the Centre in March had notified that Central Service Rules will be applicable to Chandigarh employees, including teachers in institutions of higher education. However, this neither covered teachers of PU nor those serving at its affiliated colleges. A pre-Independence university, created under the Panjab University Act, 1947, under the provision of Section 72 of Reorganisation Act, 1966, PU was declared as an inter-state body corporate, having the participation of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.