In an initial fall out of the change of guard in Punjab Government, the vice-chancellors of the two Government varsities — Punjabi University, Patiala, and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar—have resigned from their posts.
While PU vice-chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh had met Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore in Chandigarh on Tuesday evening and put in his papers, GNDU vice-chancellor Prof Ajaib Singh Brar submitted his resignation on Wednesday.
Brar said that it was purely due to family circumstances that he requested the Governor to relieve him by March 31 as his only son was not keeping well. He was given an extension till July 2018.
Jaspal Singh had joined Punjabi University on December 11, 2007 and his term was later extended in 2010 till December 11, 2013. He was then given an extension till December 11, 2015. He again got a three-year extension in 2015.
Had he completed his three-year term, he would have equaled the 11-year term of Kirpal Singh Narang, the second V-C of Punjabi University, which is the longest term served by a V-C of this university.
While Jaspal Singh could not be contacted, sources said that the formalities would be completed in the next two to three days. Meanwhile, the V-C is headed for New Delhi.
Brar was GNDU VC since July 15, 2009. Prior to this, he was the Vice-Chancellor at the University of lucknow.
GNDU’s senior professors maintained that his only son had been keeping unwell. Due to which, Brar had been absent from the university since January and attended only major events.
Members of the Guru Nanak Dev University Teacher Association (GNDUTA) claimed that it was Brar’s close association with Parkash Singh Badal that helped him get two extensions.
Having vast experience of working in the field of education, research at prestigious National and International Institutes in various capacities, Brar has worked in the fields of catalysis, Mossbauer Spectroscopy, Photochemistry and in the field of NMR Spectroscopy of Polymers. He has international recognition in these fields.