2 yrs in office: Punjabi varsity V-C’s tenure a mixed bag

Ghuman has faced flak for not taking action on 14 internal inquiries reports on nepotism and bungling of funds across departments.

Punjabi University vice-chancellor professor BS Ghuman, the first alumnus to rise to the post, completed two years of his three-year tenure last week. Under his leadership, the varsity has managed to get ₹50 crore in back-to-back grants each in 2018 and 2019; but he has been unable to check the trend of favouritism in giving additional charges to professors. The varsity also received a ₹50 crore grant under Rashtriya Uchhchatar Shiksha Abhiyan from the Centre.

Punjabi University VC BS Ghuman.(HT/Bharat Bhushan)

Even as new centres have come up, financial crisis continues. For 2019-20, the varsity has proposed a budget of ₹717 crore against an income of ₹344 crore, for a deficit of ₹373 crore. Its overdraft is also expected to touch ₹150 crore by the end of this year from ₹132 crore now. In a positive, the University Grants Commission accredited the varsity with ‘Autonomous Status — Category 2’. This allows the varsity to start and run academic courses.

Ghuman faced a major challenge earlier this month, when varsity dean (external centres) professor Pushpinder Singh Gill resigned, alleging complete mismanagement, high levels of corruption and irregularities in the varsity’s regional centres and neighbourhood campuses. Gill had criticised the university authorities for their lack of will to take corrective action, while also accusing the varsity administration of being hand-in-glove with the erring officials.

Ghuman has also faced flak for not taking action on 14 internal inquiries reports related to nepotism, corruption, and bungling of funds at different branches from 2007 to 2017. He says he will ensure these reports are 100% taken to a logical conclusion during his tenure .