Regional campuses of universities in Punjab in a state of disrepair
: Regional campuses of different universities in Punjab are in a bad shape with their buildings in an urgent need of repair. In some cases, the situation is so bad that even an overhaul won’t do and the centres need to be shifted to new buildings.
For instance, Panjab University (PU)’s regional centre in Muktsar, which caters to the state's Malwa region, needs to be shifted to a new building as the walls of the existing one have developed cracks.
The centre has a strength of 450 students who are pursuing postgraduation in seven disciplines. Many batches attended their classes in corridors in summer and in winter they are doing it in open lawns when its sunny.
PU’s rural centre at Kauni in Muktsar district is waiting for students due to its remote location.
Not even a single student has taken admission in bachelor in business administration (BBA) and postgraduate diploma in computer application (PGDCA) courses at the centre.
Similar situation is at the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU)’s campus at Fattu Dhinga, Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala) which is offering engineering courses but has only 144 students on its rolls.
PU’s Ludhiana regional centre does not have adequate rooms for students and is grappling with staff shortage. The centre offers three and five-year law and master of business MBA courses.
Senate member Prof RD Bansal said, “Universities are not serious about the rural centres which are hardly on their agenda. Not a single regular teacher has been appointed at the Muktsar rural centre.”
“They just focus on the main campus and give these regional centres a stepmotherly treatment.
Affiliated to Punjabi University, Patiala, the Nawab Sher Mahommad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies in Urdu, Persian and Arabic, Malerkotla, does not have its own building.
Centre head Rubina said, “We have written to the university authorities many times for building, but to no avail.”
₹2 crore was allotted to the Muktsar regional centre during the previous SAD-BJP government but work on its new building is far from completion.
Prof PS Dhingra, former director, Muktsar regional centre, said, “More funds should be provided to the regional centres as students from rural background study there.”
Panjab University vice-chancellor Arun Grover said, “The situation is similar on the main campuses also. There is shortage of funds here.”
Hindustan Time’s repeated attempts to contact Punjab higher education minister Aruna Chaudhary did not elicit any response.