Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mujahid Kamran has expressed his firm resolve to improve the PU ranking through depoliticization of the campuses and promotion of research culture.
In an interview with an APP team here on PU New Campus on Sunday, the VC highlighted efforts to ensure an ideal apolitical environment for the students, asserting, any pressure group, or student organisation even from teachers and employees would not be allowed to violate discipline of the institution as well as the future of more than 30,000 students.
Referring to a recent incident of alleged manhandling of students in the philosophy department, he said that stern action would be initiated against the responsible and the protection of girl students would be ensured at every cost.
He said that no organisation had legal status to organise its activities or interfere into matters related to the administration, adding the varsity would not be influenced by pressure tactics of any political group or illegal organisation. Dr Mujahid Kamran said that some external political elements were backing some senior teachers of the university and a student organisation for their vested interests. He said that during his tenure as VC, he managed to control most of illegal activities of Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT) and they could not organise their functions on the campus freely as they used to do in the past. He said that genuine students could express their potential through co-curricular activities and their protection would be ensured at every cost.
Dr Mujahid Kamran said the Higher Education Commission had improved the ranking of Punjab University to 4th position among universities of the country as its research publications had increased from 269 to 352 in 2010 and the total number of research publications during his term from 2008 to 2010 was 1,384 which was a positive sign.
The VC said that he took revolutionary steps for Faculty Development Programme and improved the efficiency of teachers through their capacity building and research. He said the university produced more than 100 PhDs every year during his three-year term and 381 PhDs had been produced since June 24. He criticised the role of some senior teachers for backing a student organisation ton pressurise the administration for their vested interests and to prove their loyalty to a religious political party which had inducted them in the 70s in violation of merit.
"We have the potential to produce more PhDs and the task will be achieved through hard work, dedication, depoliticisation and continuation of policies," he observed.
Referring to communication with more than 30,000 university students, he said that an email system had been designed where the students send their mails and necessary action was being taken on their applications.