HC sets aside PU’s refusal to allow DAV mgmt course

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has set aside Panjab University’s (PU) decision to not grant affiliation to the Institute of Management at DAV College in Sector 10 and directed that a fresh inspection be carried out.

The high court bench of justice Arun Monga also directed PU to set up a new committee without those associated with such panels in the past for inspection within two months.

PU would then have to take a decision again on affiliating the institute. Till then the MBA programme will continue.

The court acted on the plea of the DAV Institute of Management challenging PU’s 2019 decision to not allow continuation of MBA programme established in 2017. “For every student, the alma mater carries a certain sense of pride for the rest of his life. In the present case, a peculiar situation has arisen owing to the institutional clash of country’s two premier institutions, the alumnae of 2nd academic Sessions are facing the paradox of no alma mater,” the bench observed.

The institute had applied for extension of affiliation in November 2018 for the 2019-20 session, but PU slept over the matter till it got a wake up call when a case was filed before the high court.

The entire process for affiliation or its refusal was to have been completed by PU by May 15, 2019, till which time, however, the university was still considering grant of extension of affiliation for the 2018-19 session even though it had commenced by July/August, 2018.

“This entire lackadaisical approach/demeanour of the university in such nonchalant manner does not inspire confidence, to say the least. University ought to be mindful of the students whose career is at stake and who have taken admission on the implicit assurance that retrospective temporary extension of affiliation would be granted by university like in the past. Why can the university not adhere to the strict timelines as laid down by the SC?” the bench asked.

The court also took exception to the fact that Dr Anupama Bawa, a varsity teacher, was associated with the inspection committee which gave the final report, even as she had given a dissenting note on an earlier occasion. She was not only associated with the committee but made its chairperson as well .

DIRECTS PU TO SET UP A NEW COMMITTEE SANS THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH PANELS IN THE PAST AND CARRY OUT FRESH INSPECTION WITHIN TWO MONTHS