Patiala varsity approves dropping Rajiv Gandhias prefix

The academic council of the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law has approved a proposal to change its name to National Law University, officials said on Saturday.The academic council of the university has approved the proposal changing the name to National Law University from the existing Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (RGNUL), Vice-Chancellor Professor Jaishankar Singh said. Singh said the proposal had been forwarded to the executive council for further necessary action.

Sources said after clearance by the executive council, the proposal would be sent to the Punjab Higher Education Department. An amendment to the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab Act, 2006, would be required for this, they said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh, who is an MLA from Patiala Rural, where the university is located, said he was not aware of the proposal and would not comment until he had full facts.The move has drawn sharp criticism from Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi, who termed it a “deliberate attempt to polarise voters ahead of the Assembly elections”. Gandhi stated that institutions established during the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi were founded with the vision of strengthening education, promoting scientific temper, advancing technology, and ensuring social welfare.