PU Rajiv Gandhi Chair attracts only 4 applicants

Only four candidates applied for the chair and appeared for interviews held last month in Delhi.

While Panjab University faculty members say the post was not advertised properly,Vice-Chancellor Professor R C Sobti maintained that not many applicants came forward despite widespread publicity.

Talking to Newsline,Professor Sobti said: “The interview for the chair was advertised in two national newspapers and I had personally written to many universities about the vacancy asking them to inform eligible faculty members. I have no answer to justify the poor response.”

PU faculty members,meanwhile,are not willing to buy the V-C’s statement. They rue that the V-C should have told the university departments about the vacancy before sending out personal letters to other universities.

A senior faculty member from the Sciences department said: “Charity begins at home and if the V-C had written to other universities,he should have also written to chairpersons of at least the Sciences department in the university. He could have sought the names of those faculty members who fulfill the eligibility criteria.”

Professor A D Ahluwalia,a faculty member at the Botany department in the university,who was also among the four applicants,said: “I would blame the academic community as they are yet to wake up to the culture of chairs. I also believe awareness among the academic fraternity about such chairs needs to be increased.”

A committee under the chairmanship of Professor R P Bhamba,former V-C and currently a Fellow in PU,has,meanwhile,been constituted to work upon amending the criteria for filling up chairs in Panjab University. Several chairs have been lying pending for over a decade now.

While Professor Sobti said the committee will work to increase the qualifications and improve the criteria,Professor Bhamba refused to comment on the issue.

Candidates who had applied for the Rajiv Gandhi chair are Professor A D Ahluwalia from Panjab University,Dr M U Khan,former scientist,National Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS),Professor Rajesh Kochar,former director,NISTADS,and Professor Harbans Singh Sidhu,former chairman of Punjab School Education Board.

Though PU has received the name of the selected candidate,a formal announcement will be made on Friday during the Syndicate meeting.

Sources from UGC,however,claim that Dr M U Khan has been chosen for the Rajiv Gandhi chair which has been lying pending since it was granted in 2005.