LAHORE: The Punjab University syndicate on Saturday approved Rs7.7 billion budget for 2016-17.

Vice Chancellor Prof Mujahid Kamran presided over the meeting. The syndicate approved the proposal against increase in tuition fee of the on-campus students.

The university expects a total grant of Rs2.4bn from the Higher Education Commission – 33pc of the total budget. The university has increased research grant from Rs110m to Rs 120m.

The syndicate also approved the recommendations to complete university selection board and increments of teachers on tenure track system.

In this budget, the university would continue facilitating Balochistan students by offering free education, free boarding facilities and Rs3,000 per month stipend.

Khurram Shahzad, a spokesman for the university, said that special students and those taking admission on the sports basis would also be provided with free education along with boarding facilities while the university would continue waiving off tuition fee of Hafiz-i-Quran.

The university also allocated Rs70m for overseas scholarships and the same amount for participation in national and international conferences.

The PU was providing funds of Rs100m to its students in terms of scholarships, student affairs and career counseling and other activities, he said.

“Moreover, the HEC scholarships worth Rs80m and PEEF scholarships will also be provided to students. It is providing Rs200m hostel subsidy, Rs33m transport subsidy and Rs6.5m Internet subsidy to its students. The net subsidy on the mentioned services has been increased from Rs221m to Rs230m and in addition to the subsidy on electricity bills in teaching departments is also being provided,” Mr Shahzad said, adding the PU had allocated Rs410m for development projects.

The anti-VC group boycotted the meeting, saying the VC, having a “‘look-after charge” could not preside over the meeting.

TEACHERS CLASH: The two groups of teachers of the Punjab University, which had clashed before the syndicate meeting last Saturday, have filed applications in the Muslim Town Police Station.

Police, however, have not yet registered any FIR.

The clash had taken place between those in favour of the VC and anti-VC group on the issue of letting the non-syndicate members into the meeting room.

“We have called both the parties and asked them to sort out the matter amicably,” Muslim Town police official Hammad Raza told Dawn. He said complainants from both sides were respectable university teachers and they should not go for registration of FIR merely on using bad language against each other.

The PU registrar has even requested the police to include terrorism section (7-ATA) in the FIR, which was protested by the other group of teachers.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2016