• Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) : In response to a representation of PUTA Prof. R.C. Sobti, Vice Chancellor, Panjab University informed that all long-pending interviews of eligible candidates under CAS have been completed. However a few deserving teachers who had applied under CAS could not be called due to technical reasons best known to the administration. We request to all those teachers, who are still waiting for their interview under CAS, to let us know that how can we speed up processing their applications.
• No Waiting Time to Apply for promotion under CAS: It was represented to P.U. that the application procedure under CAS be streamlined on the pattern of GNDU, Amritsar. We had suggested to the University that all the eligible teachers for promotion under CAS be allowed to apply three months in advance of their date of eligibility so that within a short time after expiring the date of eligibility the interview could be arranged. This item has been cleared by the Syndicate in its meeting held on 17 th December, 2006 and after the approval of the Senate circular would be issued to the departments. This is a major achievement.
• Inter-university Deputation meets UGC Chairman: On 23 rd November, 2006 a deputation of 6 teachers from three universities, namely, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar and Punjabi University, Patiala formally met Prof. S.K. Thorat, Chairman, University Grants Commission in his office at New Delhi and submitted a representation of 9 demands, including enhancement of retirement age from 60 to 62 years, giving biennial increments to stagnating teachers and, above all, the UGC representative must give his decision right in the selection committee for promotion to Professorship under CAS. Taking all the papers back by the UGC nominee to Delhi for verification is unwarranted, the deputation explained to the Chairperson. The Chairperson was not aware of this practice and he told to the concerned branch to stop this practice of bureaucratic delay immediately .
• Enhancement of T. A., Secretariat Assistance, Conference attending grant, etc.

The hosting teachers of P.U. had to face embarrassment while reimbursing T.A. claims of teachers visiting from other universities/ institutes as our T.A. rates were far less than what they actually spent. After making a strong plea to the Vice Chancellor we have succeeded in enhancing T.A. rate to Rs. 7/ KM. Secretariat assistance that was earlier in the form of grade – Rs.100 for a Lecturer, 150 for a Reader, and Rs. 200 for Professor – has been uniformly enhanced to Rs.400 for every teacher. Similarly we had made written representation for the enhancement of grant for attending conference from Rs. 8000/- to Rs. 10,000/- for a teacher and the same has been passed by the Board of Finance in the latest meeting. The reimbursement amount on book purchasing has been increased from Rs. 1200 to 2000 under the Advancement of Education Scheme. That is, if a teacher submits the bills of Rs. 3000/- or more he/she would be entitled to receive back Rs. 2000/-.

• Constitution of Committee for two increments to in-service Ph.D. holders: Committee, under the Chairmanship of Prof. Veer Singh, DUI has been constituted to review the representations made by various teachers to PUTA, along with other deserving cases. The first meeting is being held on 11 th Jan. 2007.
• Security Arrangement on the campus: A study team, duly constituted by the University, in which PUTA President was also a member, went to Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana to study the security arrangement. As a follow up it is decided by the University to fix up CCTV Cameras at all the three gates in order to keep a record of the trespassers. Similarly a camera would also be fixed at the Students Centre to record the movements of the ‘outsiders’. It has also been brought to the notice of the administration that special security arrangements have to be made in the complex of Teachers Flats and New Teachers Flats. It has become urgent in the light of some recent theft cases reported by our colleagues. In response to our written representation and insistence upon the laxity in security on the campus, Panjab University has agreed to recruit 40 ex-servicemen in the age group of 55-59 that would beef up security on the campus.
• PUTA Website: In response to our written request to re-activate PUTA website we have got a nod for the same from Prof. Tankeshwar Kumar, Director, Department of Computer Science and Applications. PUTA secretary has been asked to pass on the material to be uploaded on the web-site. We are editing the material before it is put on the web-site that would be accessible through the main website of PU www.pu.ac.in/.
• Renovation of toilets in Arts Block I & II and III: Teachers and students were facing a lot of difficulties with respect to toilets in Arts Blocks I & II and III. On PUTA’s persistence, toilets in two blocks have been renovated. We have also written to the University for separate toilets for the staff to which they had agreed in principle.
• Campus Cleanliness: In response to our demand for campus cleanliness the Vice Chancellor told that tenders have been invited from private parties and soon the cleanliness would be handed over to the ‘party’ found best for the purpose.

Biennial Increments for stagnating teachers: Our representation to give increments to all those teachers who have reached at the end of their slab of the pay scale from their respective due date has been referred to the government of Punjab. It is worth reiterating that UGC has recommended biennial increments to the stagnating teachers.

10. PUTA sub-committee on Research

The meeting of the PUTA sub-committee on Research was held on 28-9-2006 under the convenership of Prof. B.S, Ghuman and the following is the brief of the decisions:

1. There is a need to further motivate teachers in the University to undertake research. The University may initiate action plan on the following recommendations:

• Constituting Awards for outstanding researchers.
• 50% of the overhead expenses of each research project may be put at the disposal of the Principal Investigator for meeting expenses relating to infrastructure and other improvement in the Department.
• Double the subsidy under each sub-head of ‘Improvement of Education’, namely, A- Secretarial Assistance; B- Advance of Research and Education; and C- Attending Conference/Workshop/Seminar/Symposium within India.
• A research project should be made a part of the work load as per the following:

International Project : 3 Hrs.

National Project : 2 Hrs.

Regional/State Level Project : 1 Hr.

In case of joint project the workload may be shared accordingly.

• Provide minimum research infrastructure including laboratory as well as furnished office to each teacher immediately after appointment.

• The teacher should be encouraged to improve quality of research.
• With a view to make research relevant to the society, economy and industry, inter-disciplinary research should be promoted in the University.
• For the participation in international seminars/conferences/workshops, etc., the minimum subsidy of Rs. 50,000/- be given to a teacher once in three years.
• The teacher may be allowed to travel by air for participating in the seminars/conferences/workshops within the country. However, he/she may be allowed to get TA as per his/her entitlement.
• The journals of the University should have referees outside Panjab University.
• With a view to supply research inputs for public policy a brief/summary of the research undertaken in the University be sent to the relevant policy quarters on regular intervals.
• A post of Dean (Research) should be created and the G&P Section of the Accounts Branch may be brought under the control of Dean (Research.).

These decisions are being forwarded to the University Authorities for the implementation.

PUTA General Body Meeting on the 8 th Jan., 2007 in the Auditorium of Deptt. of Evening Studies at 11.45 AM. Please Attend. Agenda: Progress Report and Pending Demands

URGENT APPEAL

We request to all those teachers, whose superannuation is due within 2007, to inform us about their departments, new addresses, and their respective date of superannuation. We require this information for two reasons. One that the collective case in the court with regard to the release of salary may be filed and two, PUTA could plan their farewell.

New Teachers: Collect Your Photographs

All those new teachers who were welcomed by PUTA, along with the Vice Chancellor, DUI, and the Registrar may collect their photographs from: Satya Digital Studio, Shop No 6, Sector 15C, Chandigarh. Mobile phone: 98152-99773.

11. Farewell function held by PUTA

PUTA held a Farewell Function in the office of PUTA at the superannuation of Prof. C.G Mahajan and Prof. Vishwamitter of the department of Physics. Similarly Farewell Function was also held for Prof. S. Chaudhary, Department of Zoology and Prof. J.K. Sharma, Department of History. At a simple function all our superannuated colleagues were felicitated with a token of memento from PUTA.

12. PFUTA Convention

PFUTA convention was held on 20 th November, 2006 at 11.00 AM in Evening Studies Auditorium on the following issues:

• The Retirement age should be enhanced to 62
• Grant-in-aid should be released to Panjab University and other universities of Punjab immediately
• Within the university, unnecessary audit harassment to the teachers be stopped, and
• The recommendations of the 5 th Pay Commission, such as two increments for PhD., etc. be immediately implemented.

It is worth mentioning here that the Convention was preceded by a half day Dharna by the teachers of Panjab University, on the same demands, at the call of PFUTA, in front of the Vice- Chancellor office.

Film Festival: A Grand Success

Film Festival by the Cultural Committee of PUTA was organised for four days from 2-5 November, 2006. It was for the first time that such a huge response was witnessed from the students and teachers. We screened the following four films on four days: ll Postino (The Postman) 1994, Language: Italian,D irector: Michael Radford, Bacheha-Ye aseman (Children of Heaven) 1997, Language: Iranian, Director: Majid Majidi, Unees April, 1995, Language: Bengali, Director: RituParno Ghosh, and Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women (2003), Director: Manish Jha. Encouraged by the response from the audience the Cultural Committee has decided to screen four more films on 20 and 21 st January, 2007 in the Evening Studies Auditorium. The details would be communicated after procuring the films. However, keeping in view the cold weather, it is decided that films would be screened during the day time.