Haryana urges Centre to restore its share in Panjab University

The Haryana government has urged the Centre to restore the state's share in Panjab University (PU).

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, referred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court directive to the Principal Secretary Higher Education, Haryana to hold parleys with the Vice-Chancellor of the university for restoration of Haryana's share in it.

Khattar said that based upon the parleys held in pursuance of the orders of the High Court, the government has decided to restore its share in the university, provided a notification is issued by Ministry of Home Affairs that colleges situated in some of the Haryana districts might be affiliated with the Panjab University.

"Under the provision of the university, prior to 1966, the colleges situated in the then Punjab were affiliated to Panjab University. After the introduction of Punjab Reorganization Act in 1966, the Panjab University became an inter-state body corporate and continued to operate in all previous areas including those that were now a part of Haryana.

"After establishing Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjabi University, Patiala and Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, notifications were issued by the ministry in 1969, Punjab Government in 1970 and Haryana Government in 1973 and 1997, whereby the Panjab University ceased to operate in Haryana," it was pointed out in the letter.

The Chief Minister said that affiliated colleges from Haryana would be allowed to follow reservation policy of Haryana for admissions whereas for admissions in the courses on Panjab University Campus, the central reservation policy would be followed.

"The Panjab University would allow Haryana to follow its own fee structure for such affiliated colleges. Haryana would be willing to give as grant-in-aid to Panjab University an amount equivalent with the contribution of Government of Punjab.

"The earlier pattern of representation of the state of Haryana in the Senate, Syndicate and Board of Finance of Panjab University, as ex-officio fellow members (as well as reservation to persons from Haryana in various elected constituencies) would be followed," Khattar added.

The Chief Minister pointed out that the process of restoration of Haryana's share in Panjab University, Chandigarh is required in view of the fact that over the years the composition and character of Chandigarh has evolved as a larger entity of a 'Tri-city' comprising Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali.

Though the Punjab government, in the past few years, has failed to fulfil its financial obligations to PU, the state government has opposed any move to restore the share of Haryana in the institution.

--IANS

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