New Delhi: The Centre Friday rescinded its executive notification that proposed amending the Panjab University Act, 1947 to restructure the university’s Senate and Syndicate and replace them with nominated bodies.
The decision comes two days after the Centre put its 28 October amendment notification on hold.
According to senior government officials, the decision was taken based on feedback on the notification from stakeholders such as students, teachers, former vice chancellors (VC) and the current VC of Panjab University.
“The Ministry of Education also considered the inputs received in meetings with various student organisations. Having regard to the above, it has now been decided by the Ministry of Education that the aforesaid order changing the constitution & composition of the senate and syndicate shall stand rescinded,” a senior government official told ThePrint.
A political controversy erupted in Punjab following the Centre’s 28 October notification, amending the Panjab University Act, 1947. The notification reduced the university’s Senate strength from 90 to 31 members, abolished the graduates constituency entirely, and replaced the elected Syndicate with a largely nominated structure. The Senate is Panjab University’s top policy-making body, while the Syndicate is its executive body, handling day-to-day administration.
In the previous 90-member Senate, 47 fellows were elected, including 15 chosen by university graduates registered as Senate voters. However, the 28 October notification stated that two eminent university alumni will be nominated by the Chancellor, the Vice-President of India in the case of Panjab University.
The 28 October notification invoked Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which allows the Centre to amend state laws governing inter-state institutions through ‘exceptions and modifications’.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had criticised the move as “totally unconstitutional” and declared that his government would take the matter to court.
Earlier on Wednesday, a meeting was held between a meeting between Panjab University student representatives and senior officials at the Union Ministry of Education following which the order was put on hold.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)