PU brings six centres under one umbrella

Panjab University (PU) has finalised the consolidation of six of its centres, which have been subsumed under the umbrella of the Multidisciplinary Centre for Education and Research.

The centre for social work, centre for human rights and duties, centre for police administration, department-cum-centre for women’s studies and development, University Institute of Fashion Technology and Vocational Development (UIFT & VD) and department of life long learning and extension were consolidated on the recommendations of a university panel.

The order issued by the office of the dean university instruction (DUI) said the move will facilitate sharing of physical and intellectual resources. “They can jointly offer value-added and skill-enhancement courses in addition to PhD course work,” the order states, adding that a coordination committee, with six chairpersons of the six cognate departments as members, will ensure coordination, and joint academic and extra-curricular activities.

In 2015, National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), had recommended the consolidation of small cognate departments for effective and efficient teaching, learning and research. With the varsity gearing up for the next round of accreditation, officials gave a go-ahead to the merger earlier this year. The plan had been on hold for the last few years.

The chairperson of one of the centres, requesting anonymity, said, “NAAC had recommended consolidating the small cognate departments but these centres are not cognate. This consolidation will weaken the centres.”

Similar concerns were voiced during the last general body meeting of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA), which was held last month. The house had resolved that no such move to merge departments or centres can be initiated without the active involvement of the chairpersons or coordinators concerned, their faculty and the PUTA representative.

Call on languages departments soon

A sub-committee had also proposed to merge small languages departments as well. However, the varsity is yet to announce their consolidation. A committee member, however, said that an order in this regard will be issued soon.

The sub-committee had proposed that Arts Block 5 , which has around 18 rooms, be used to accommodate the various small languages departments. The small languages departments include Chinese and Tibetan Studies, Russian, German, and French.