Debarring VCs from granting allowance: Teachers term HED notification a move to curb varsities’ autonomy

LAHORE:Federation of All-Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Association (FAPUASA) Punjab has condemned the latest letter issued by the Higher Education Department (HED) Punjab in which the Vice-Chancellors have been debarred from granting Disparity Reduction Allowance to teaching and non-teaching staff from June 1, 2021.

In a joint statement, FAPUASA Punjab Secretary Dr Ahtisham Ali, Punjab University Academic Staff Association (PUASA) President Prof Dr Azhar Naeem and PUASA Secretary Dr Amjad Abbas Magsi termed the HED notification a move to curb autonomy of universities in Punjab. They further said that the teaching and non-teaching staff of the public sector universities was still deprived of the Disparity Reduction Allowance initiated by the Federal Govt in March 2021 while Punjab started it in June 2021. Meanwhile, the PUASA announced holding a general body meeting on March 15, 2022 in order to devise a further strategy in this regard. FAPUASA Punjab chapter had also announced holding its Executive Council meeting in the coming week.

UHE holds Alumni Dinner: University of Home Economics (UHE) organised first Alumni Dinner and Sufi musical evening at its campus on Friday. The wife of Governor Punjab, Parveen Sarwar was the chief guest while the wife of Chief Minister Punjab Mrs Usman Buzdar was the guest of honour on this occasion, a press release of the university said. MPA Ms Neelum Hayat, Justice (retd) Nasira Javaid Iqbal and others also attended the event.

While addressing the gathering, Mrs Perveen Sarwar appreciated the arrangements done by alumni. She said that an inclusive system should be developed to uplift the marginalised communities through education. Afterwards a cake-cutting ceremony was also held to kick start the new journey of UHE Alumni Association (UHEAA). UHE Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Kanwal Ameen took the initiative to activate the university’s Alumni Association which organised the event.

date sheet: Punjab University (PU) Examinations Department has issued the written/practical examination date sheets of Associate Degree Arts/Science, Part-I and Part-II Supplementary Examination 2021. According to details, Associate Degree Arts/Science, Part-I exam will commence from March 17, 2022 while Part-II exam will start from March 18, 2022. Meanwhile, PU Examinations Department has declared the results of various MA/MSc exams.

These exams included MA Philosophy and Arabic Part-I & Part-II supplementary examination 2020 and annual examination 2021, MSc Sports Science & Physical Education Part-I & Part-II supplementary examination 2020 and annual examination 2021, MA Urdu Part-I supplementary examination 2020 and annual examination 2021 and MSc Applied Psychology Part-I supplementary examination 2020 and annual examination 2021.

Details are available at www.pu.edu.pk.