The Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana along with Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday met to discuss in detail the issue regarding the grants for Panjab University.

Even as Governor Purohit maintained that there is a “possibility” to affiliate Haryana’s colleges with PU, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted that his government is committed to avert any change in PU’s nature and character. “The university is heritage of the state and any sort of change in it will not be tolerated,” he declared.

Purohit, in the meeting, has reportedly maintained that the affiliation of Haryana colleges is possible with the mutual consent of Chief Ministers of both states. The meeting came as Haryana Government is seeking restoration of its share in PU, Chandigarh.

During the meeting, Purohit said that the governments should work to make education accessible to rural areas as well, and exhorted both the chief ministers that the matters related to PU should be taken forward with mutual consent. “The issue of affiliation of Haryana colleges to Panjab University is not a big issue; it is possible to do so. This collaboration of Haryana and Punjab will certainly be a good start,” he said.

On the other hand, Mann firmly placed on record the facts pertaining to the Panjab University stating that the premier educational institute has an emotional place in the hearts of the people of Punjab on account of historical, cultural, and provincial reasons. “Panjab University is a symbol of Punjab’s legacy and is synonymous with the name of the State,” he said, adding that the University caters only to the state of Punjab and its capital Chandigarh.

Citing the history of the University, its constitution, its ethnic, socio-cultural and historical roots as well as its faculty and students who hail primarily from the state of Punjab, Mann said that it is important that the present legal and administrative status of the Panjab University should be preserved.

He reminded that at the time of the reorganization of the State of Punjab in 1966, Panjab University was declared as an 'Inter State Body Corporate' under section 72(1) of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966 enacted by the Parliament. “Ever since its inception, PU has been continuously and uninterruptedly functioning in the state of Punjab…It was shifted from Lahore, the then capital of Punjab, to Hoshiarpur and then to Chandigarh — the present capital of Punjab,” he said.

At present, 175 colleges of Punjab, situated in the districts of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib and SBS Nagar, are affiliated with the Panjab University.

HARYANA COLLEGES SHOULD BE AFFILIATED WITH PU: KHATTAR

In the meeting, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the share of Haryana was given to Panjab University and the colleges and regional centres of Haryana were affiliated to Panjab University. However, it was abolished by issuing a notification in 1973.

“In today's era, the colleges of the states are also being affiliated with international universities. The aim of the National Education Policy is that all educational institutions should cooperate in the progress of the country and the mutual relations of all the states should be further strengthened. Therefore, affiliation of colleges of Haryana should be done with Panjab University, Chandigarh,” said the Chief Minister.

Khattar said that Panjab University, Chandigarh is a Central University, in which Haryana's colleges should also have affiliation. “The Haryana government, along with the Centre, will take Panjab University forward, so that the university becomes prosperous and its needs are fulfilled,” he asserted. He suggested to the Punjab government that if the colleges of Punjab also want to work in association with Haryana for the future of the youth, then they are welcome.

Chief Secretaries of Haryana and Punjab--Sanjeev Kaushal and Vijay Kumar Janjua, along with senior officials and Vice Chancellor of PU,  Prof Renu Vig, were present in the meeting.