Central University of Punjab reserves seats for OBCS

THE VARSITY HAD NOT RESERVED SEATS FOR OBC, EWS FOR PROF, ASSOCIATE PROF POSTS LAST YEAR; YET TO REPLY TO NATIONAL COMMISSION NOTICE

BATHINDA: Facing a National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) notice for a factual report on whether it was implementing the reservation policy for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in faculty recruitment it started last year, the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, has now reserved seats on professor and associate professor posts for these categories in a new recruitment drive.

The new advertisement issued on January 19 (Saturday) is for 65 faculty positions in 28 departments. Last year’s recruitments, advertised in May 2019, were for 125 faculty positions in posts of professor, associate professors and assistant professors in 31 departments. These have just concluded and did not have any reservation for OBCS and EWS on post of professor and associate professor. There was reservation for these two categories on post of assistant professors in last recruitment drive.

Two faculty members had claimed that reservation for OBCS was not being implemented in last year’s recruitment. One of them had also approached the Union ministry of human resource development, claiming that reservation norms for EWS candidates had also not been followed on two posts in last year’s recruitment drive.

After this, the NCBC had sought a factual report from university vice-chancellor professor RK Kohli on December 26. The university, however, didn’t reply to the notice in the stipulated time of one week and the commission issued reminder to the varsity on January 9, seeking a reply within 10 days. It couldn’t be verified if the university has replied to the notice yet.

Vice-chancellor professor RK Kohli and registrar Kanwal Pal Singh Mundra couldn’t be contacted despite repeated attempts on their mobile phones.

University’s public relations officer Robin Jindal said he could respond only on Wednesday, as he was on leave today (Tuesday).