Punjab: Nod to 320 additional posts of assistant professor in 16 new govt colleges

Chandigarh, June 19: In a landmark decision aimed at increasing the accessibility of affordable and quality higher education to youth of the state, Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Monday accorded approval for the creation of 320 additional posts of assistant professor in the 16 new government colleges of the state.

A decision to this effect was taken by the Council of Ministers during a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann here at his office in the Punjab Civil Secretariat- I.

Divulging the details, a spokesperson for the Chief Minister’s Office said these colleges were started in 2021-22. The Cabinet has also approved the creation of 16 posts of library restorer and 64 posts of lab attendant for these colleges.

This would ensure the deployment of required faculty and staff in the newly opened colleges thereby ensuring smooth running of the new colleges which in turn would benefit the students.

Nod to amend Indian Stamp Act, 1899

The Punjab Cabinet also gave nod to amend the entry number 48 in Schedule 1-A for Punjab in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, thereby levying 2 per cent stamp duty of the amount of the consideration or of collector rate in respect of the property for the the Power of Attorney issued to people other than those in blood relations.

This will be levied when Power of Attorney is given to a person other than a family member (viz. spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent and grandchild),  authorising  him to sell any immovable property. This move is aimed at checking the misuse of the power of attorneys and checking frauds with the people.

Nod to increase upper age limit for direct recruitment of 645 assistant professors 

The Cabinet also gave consent to enhance the upper age limit for the direct recruitment of 645 assistant professors in government colleges from 37 years to 45 years. This will help in providing regular assistant professors in all government colleges in the state, besides giving one-time opportunity to those already working as non-regular faculty in various colleges to apply for the regular posts of assistant professor through direct recruitment by the PPSC. 

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of the shortage of teaching faculty in various departments of Government Dental Colleges and Hospitals, Amritsar and Patiala, the Cabinet has approved the fourth amendment, by inserting sub-clause-4 in clause-8 of Punjab Dental Education Service (Group A) Rules 2016.

It fixed the upper age limit i.e. 37 8=45 years for filling the posts of assistant professor from Punjab Civil Dental Services through promotion on the lines of provision made by the Punjab Government in Punjab Medical Education Service (Group A) Rule, 2016.

With this, the upper age limit is fixed to 45 years thus ensuring that eligible candidates are available to fill the posts of Assistant Professor to Associate Professor and Professor. 

MoU with he British Council 

The Punjab Cabinet also gave nod to the Department of Higher Education to sign an MoU with the British Council for starting a training course for students of government colleges under the aegis of Higher Education Department, in English communication for work from academic session 2023-24 and covering 5,000 students initially.

The Punjab Cabinet also gave go ahead to amend the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service of Employees), Act 1974 to give more powers to the Punjab Educational Tribunal to implement its decision, to define the quorum of the Tribunal and to allow for constitution of benches for efficacious disposal of cases by the Tribunal.

Revision of pay of judicial officers

The Punjab Cabinet also gave ex-post facto approval to a notification dated February 8, 2023, to revise the pay of judicial officers in compliance of recommendations made by second national judicial pay commission and orders dated July 27, 2022, and January 18, 2023 of the Supreme Court in writ petition (Civil) 643 of 2015 titled as All India Judges Association vs Union of India and others.

Meanwhile, to streamline the functioning of the Labour Department, the Cabinet also approved the Departmental Rules of Group B and C of the Department of Labour.