IKGPTU starts on a promising journey for 2016-17

Chandigarh/Jalandhar/Kapurthala, April 2, 2016: It approved to go ahead with the selection of regular faculty as per UGC guidelines filling up a void, which existed in the University since its inception. With an aim to improve the standards of research education, IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Board yesterday evening approved new norms for PHD students regarding minimum credits and 6 month residency on normal working days. New norms for PHD guides were also approved. Internal quota of 30% in PHD admission abolished and interview weightage reduced to 20% in the admission process. During its 61st meeting, the Board approved measures to strengthen the academics of the University. The meeting was chaired by Chief Secretary of Punjab IAS Sarvesh Kaushal as Chairman of the University Board.
Towards improving the quality of faculty, a training calendar for faculty has been approved. The entire faculty at IKG PTU and its affiliated institutions would get their salaries through AADHAR seeded accounts to check the ghost faculty.
Distance Education Program has been cleaned up and nod was given to the recommendations of DEC committee in line with UGC Guidelines paving the way for scaling up the Distance Education Program of the University.
IAS Rakesh Verma, Vice Chancellor of the University, addressed the dire need of enhancing the employability of the students. The Board approved to incorporate skill based courses in its framework with both, specific skills and generic skills. A committee has been constituted to submit detailed action plan within a month. It will be a big step in aligning technical education to the skill needs of the Industry.
Towards safeguarding the interest of the students, centralized counselling and on-line admission process has been strengthened. As per the policy approved by the Govt, all students’ desires of getting scholarship will have to participate in the centralized counselling so that the malpractice of ghost students could be curbed with linking of the admission with AADHAR. Even non-AICTE courses of the University will follow online admission process.
Strengthening the Administration of the University, UGC guidelines were adopted to recruit regular Registrar and Controller of Examination on fast track. Services of MGSIPA were approved for implementing its HR audit report in a phased manner preparing Standard Operating Procedures for every aspect of IKGPTU functioning.
It has also been decided that CAG will audit the accounts of the University and Standard Operating Procedure for finance and accounts functions of the University will be put in place within 15 days.
An enterprise wide IT based University Management System will be put in place to provide efficient management support to all the stakeholders in the University.
While consolidating its regulatory capabilities, IKGPTU is now ready to launch itself into the next phase towards achieving academic excellence and the University has engaged Educational Consultant of India (EdCIL), an agency under MHRD, Government of India to prepare a strategic plan and detailed report for the University’s academic program, infrastructure plan, financial plan and governance.
IAS M. P.Singh, Principal Secretary to Technical Education and Industrial Training, Government of Punjab also joined this meeting as Vice Chairman of the Board. Deans, Registrar and other Board members as per the quorum deeply made deliberations on all agendas.