Chandigarh: More than two weeks have passed since the commencement of the academic session 2016-17 at Panjab University. However, law students of the third and fifth semesters are still waiting for the faculty to be appointed in some subjects so that regular classes can begin.
The classes in some subjects in the Law Department are yet to begin as there has been a delay in getting approval for revising the contract of 10 guest faculty members.
Besides, eight part-time vacancies have not been re-advertised as the university has failed to fulfil the administrative formalities.
On July 7, 2016, a proposal was mooted by the Law Department that it should be allowed to fill 14 posts of guest faculty and four of “part-timers”, whose contract had expired.
PU Law Department Chairman Vijay Nagpal said three reminders had been sent to the higher authorities to clear the file to speed up the process of filling the posts. During the past fortnight, the administrative staff were going to various offices to get the file cleared, but so far the approval had not be given to the department.
The PU DUI, Prof Dinesh Gupta, said the department never raised the issue with the higher authorities. He said no file of the faculty of law was pending in his office. He, however, said he would enquire about it from his staff.
A third-semester law student, Bhartendu Sood, said, “Why can’t regular teachers take one extra period to tide over the situation? They, especially professors, are not very busy.”
He asked how the university could charge tuition fee from the students when it was not in a position to arrange teachers for them.
