31 candidates called for interaction on Aug 10, 11

PATIALA : The screening-cum-selection-committee formed to select new vice-chancellors of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and Punjabi University, Patiala has called 31 applicants for interaction for final selection. The interaction will take place at Chandigarh on August 10 and 11.

Talking to Hindustan Times, Punjabi University V-C-cum-additional chief secretary SK Sandhu said, “To ensure that all candidates start on an even footing, the committee has decided to not to carry forward marks awarded in the short-listing process.

Chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh, industrialist Chandra Mohan, Punjab Agricultural University V-C Dr BS Dhillon and RS Khandpur, former director general of Pushpa Gujral Science City, are other members of the screening committee. “It will not be an interview, but it will be an interaction. The mandate is to select somebody, who has a strongacademic background, have nation and international exposure in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), credentials of institutional buildings as administrator, and have vision to enable state universities to complete with noted HEIs of India and abroad,” he said, adding that due to the mandator 15-day notice to be given to candidates, the date was fixed in August.

Dr Satvir Singh Gosal, a plant-breeding scientist, who is a former director of research at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; BS G human of Pan jab University, AS Chawla, Vice Chancellor RIMT University, Dr Rajinder Singh Sidhu, registrar of PAU, Dr Davinder Singh, former Registrar of Punjabi University, Dr Surinder Kumar Ghakar, are vying for post of Punjabi University.

Dr Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Secretary University Grants Commission, Dr Narpinder Singh, professor of food science and technology; and MPS Isher, who is at present the V-C of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, are among 31, who are in the race for post of GNDU V-C.

The selection committee got lists of top 20 candidates from each university, from which a joint list of 31 candidates were made, as some candidates had applied for both universities.