Pic: BFUHSBathinda: Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Sunday approved the appointment of new vice-chancellors for two major state-run universities, clearing the way for regular leadership at Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, and IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU), Jalandhar.Prof Rajinder Kumar Bansal has been appointed vice-chancellor of BFUHS, while Prof Arvind Kumar has been named vice-chancellor of IKGPTU. Prof Arvind Kumar Bansal confirmed his appointment as vice-chancellor of the technical university.The appointments come at a time when three state-controlled universities, including a medical, technical and agricultural university, were functioning without regular vice-chancellors. The Central University of Punjab is also currently without a regular vice-chancellor.Sources said the Punjab govt had forwarded panels of three shortlisted candidates each for the posts of vice-chancellor at BFUHS and IKGPTU to the governor on Saturday. The appointments were approved on Sunday.While BFUHS and IKGPTU have now got regular heads, the process of appointing a new vice-chancellor at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, is still underway.The universities had been functioning under acting arrangements after completion of the terms of their previous vice-chancellors. At BFUHS, medical education secretary Manjit Singh Brar was given officiating charge as vice-chancellor on July 25 after Dr Rajiv Sood completed his tenure. At IKGPTU, dean academics Yadwinder Singh took over as officiating vice-chancellor on Aug 6 following the completion of Sushil Mittal’s term.At PAU, vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal completed his tenure on Aug 18, following which registrar Rishipal Singh was assigned officiating charge. The university had earlier issued an advertisement for the post, with Aug 26 fixed as the last date for applications.The Central University of Punjab has also been without a regular vice-chancellor since the tenure of Prof Raghavendra P Tiwari ended on July 31. The university’s dean academics, Prof Ramakrishna Wusirika, was given officiating charge from Aug 1 until a regular appointment is made.Among the institutions, BFUHS has faced controversy in recent months over allegations of irregularities in appointments. The university also came under scrutiny after a high-tech cheating racket was allegedly unearthed during the July 19 examination for pharmacy officer posts, when several candidates were found using Bluetooth-enabled gadgets.
