With the consistent efforts of present PUTA we were able to achieve the following:
CAS Promotions from Grade-I to 2 and from Grade 2 to 3
As per the information provided by the Vice-Chancellor, all promotions of Assistant Professor from Grade-I to 2 and from Grade 2 to 3 have been processed. For other categories, CAS promotion process has already been started.
Reader to Associate Professor As per UGC regulations 2010, all faculty members who had completed three years as Reader/Lecturer selection grade are to be re-designated as Associate Professors. We are happy to inform you that some of our colleagues, who have applied for the same, have got letters concerning their re-designation as Associate Professor. All those who have applied for the same are requested to kindly complete the necessary formalities.Fresh Faculty Recruitments
PUTA has been meeting the Vice-Chancellor in this regard regularly. Now many of our colleagues are aware of the fact that the screening process for fresh recruitments is on full swing. The Vice-Chancellor informed PUTA executive that for some of the departments, interviews have already been conducted and for many other departments interview dates have been fixed.
Payment of Arrears
PUTA executive is grateful to the Vice-Chancellor for keeping his promise to release the 100% arrears.
Re-Employment
It is only the result of the heartfelt and consistent efforts of present PUTA executive that all our retired colleagues have got re-employment. So it is my humble request to all of you that please count them also as a faculty member while calculating the faculty crunch. Our senior most re-employed teachers are very sincere and hardworking and they are justifying their services which are highly required to uphold the academic excellence of Panjab University.
Enhanced Financial Assistance for Teachers under the head of “Improvement of Education”
The persistent demand of PUTA for increased financial assistance to all teachers under the category “IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION”, budget head has been accepted and implemented. The Honourable Vice-Chancellor has enhanced the financial assistance under improvement of education budget head from the session 2011-2012, so that teachers can attend more conferences/seminars/symposia/workshops in a year. The salient features of the enhanced financial assistance under various sub-heads are as follows.
Sub Head (A): Secretarial Assistance enhanced from Rs.400/- to Rs.500/- for all categories of University teachers, for typing and mailing of their research papers.
Sub Head (B): Financial Assistance enhanced from Rs.2000/- to Rs.3000/- for purchase of books/Journals/membership of the scientific societies etc.
Sub Head (C): For attending National Conferences/Workshop/Symposium within India, the financial assistance has been raised from Rs.10, 000/- to Rs.15, 000/-in a financial year without any restriction on number of conferences attended.
Payment of Dues to UIET Faculty for Teaching during the Summer Vacations-2009
The long pending dues/payment (of the year 2009) to around 22 UIET faculty members for taking extra classes during the summer vacations has been released in July, 2011 only after the serious and consistent efforts made by the PUTA executive.
Parking for HSJIDSH (Dental College)
The faculty, staff and students of the Dental College were facing a problem because they didn’t have a proper place to park their vehicles. PUTA executive took a serious note of it and met the Vice-Chancellor, who assured immediate action in this regard. You will be happy to know that one parking place is ready to use in the college premises. The work on second parking spot will be set off very shortly.
Internet Connections in HSJIDSH (Dental College)
The demand to provide an internet facility at Dental College was strongly raised by the present PUTA executive, with the result around one hundred internet connections have been installed in various rooms and laboratories of the college. This will enable the faculty, staff and students to search the relevant information of their areas of interest at their desk.
Revival of Staff Club
Dear Colleagues, as you are aware that staff club remained non-functional for a long period. We are happy to inform you that with the consistent efforts of PUTA executive, staff club has got a proper space (one of the newly constructed T-I flats in sector-25, South Campus, PU). The same has been inaugurated by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. R. C. Sobti on 20/04/2011.
Prescription/Disbursement of Medicines
PUTA received a request from the “Panjab University Panchkula Residents Association” to prescribe and disbursement of medicines, which are needed to be taken regularly for three months instead of one month. Dr. D. K. Dhawan, CMO, Panjab University Health Centre, has very kindly agreed to issue medicines for TWO MONTHS instead of one month’s to the retired employees of Panjab University, who are residing in Panchkula, Mohali and faraway places.
MOUs with Private Hospitals
PU has signed MOUs with the following hospitals to provide better and immediate medical facilities.
Mukut Hospital, Sector-34, Chandigarh;
Indus Speciality Hospital, Phase-, Mohali;
Indus Hospital, S. C. F. 98-100, Phase 3b2, Mohali along with Indus Scan Lab.
Alchemist Hospital, Sector-2, Panchkula;
Silver Oaks Hospital, Phase- IX, Mohali;
Grecian Hospital, Sector 69, Mohali.
Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Test at PU Health Centre
“Osteoporosis cum Blood Sugar check-up Camp-Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Test” organised on Friday, 12 Nov, 2010, at PU, Health Centre. More than 500 faculty members, non teaching staff, students and research scholars attended this camp.
Free Heart Check-Up Camp
A “Free Heart Check up Camp” was jointly organized by the PUTA and PUNSA on 4th December, 2010 at PU Health Centre. Around 500 people visited the camp and consulted the senior doctors for their respective health problems.
Free Medical Check up Camp
PUTA in association with Amrit Cancer Foundation organised a “Breast and Cervix Cancer Awareness and Detection Camp”, on 22nd July, 2011 at Golden Jubilee Hall from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. In this camp special Audio/Visual seminar on Breast and Cervix Cancer was presented by Professor (Dr.) Firuza Patel (Radiotherapy), PGI, Chandigarh. The team of the expert doctors examined more than 70 participants including teachers, staff members and research scholars. Around 100 coupons were collected by the participants for free mammography and Pap Smear tests.
PUTA-organised a “Cycle Rally”
Panjab University Teachers Association organised a cycle rally on 24 July, 2011. Faculty, staff and their family members took part in this rally which was led by the Vice-Chancellor. Rally was started from the Administration Block, Panjab University to Sukhna Lake and then back to Panjab University. This was first of its kind rally in the Panjab University where more than 100 participants rallied. The basic purpose was to promote eco-friendly vehicles and also to encourage the youngsters to use cycles which are pollution free so that we can make this campus more and more clean, green and beautiful.
PUTA-Organised “Mini-Marathon”
First Mini-Marathon race was organized by the Panjab University Teacher’s Association (PUTA) in the Panjab University Campus on 10th, July, 2011. The race was started from Administration Block, the participants moved around the campus in the event which finished near the Vice Chancellor’s office. The winners in various categories were honoured with token mementos by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. R. C. Sobti. Second Mini-Marathon was organised in South campus on 16 July, 2011. Braving the rains, the faculty and the staff kept their schedule with the
weekly walk or run (mini-marathon). Participants moved
around the South Campus from the staff club building to Alumni House via
Dental College.
Cleanliness Drive
Panjab University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) launched a cleanliness drive in the campus on 18/9/2010. The basic purpose behind was to spread the wave of clean and healthy environment. Besides PUTA executive, students, research scholars and faculty members along with the Vice-Chancellor participated in this drive. S.D.E. Horticulture and his team members facilitated this task.
Teachers Day Celebration
PUTA celebrated the Teachers Day by organizing a welcome as well as farewell function on September 05, 2010. Prof. R.C. Sobti, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University was the Chief Guest and Prof. M.M. Puri, Former Vice-Chancellor and Professor Emeritus, was the Guest of Honour. During the celebrations, PUTA welcomed the newly appointed teachers and felicitated the superannuated teachers during session 2009-2010. The celebrations ended in a tree plantation drive, as a mark of respect to great teacher Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Special Lecture on Career Advancement Scheme
A special lecture was organised by the Panjab University Teachers Association on 16/03/2011 in the Chemistry Auditorium, to deliberate on new UGC guidelines related to Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) of Teachers. Dr. Karamjit Singh, Associate Professor, University Business School addressed the faculty members on different aspects of CAS. He explained various phases of CAS promotions like date of eligibility, API score, type of publications and other parameters required. He also discussed promotions at various levels including promotions for Senior Professorship. The lecture proved fruitful as many teachers discussed their issues at large.
Task in Process
There were many more things like declaration of Panjab University as Centrally Funded Educational Institution, counting of five years towards pension for teachers who were appointed with Ph.D., increments for M. Tech. Faculty, Child Care Leave for women teachers etc. for which the present team has made efforts and are in the pipeline.
We hope that our successor PUTA team will be able to achieve these and many other things for the community.
PUTA extends heartiest thanks to all the members for their kind co-operation, support and encouragement.