Higher Education top priority of state government: Meet Hayer

Chandigarh, October 10, 2022: With education being the top most priority of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led state government, special attention is being paid to improve the quality of education. Steps are being taken in the higher education sector to make the students employable. This was stated by the Higher Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer while addressing a function organized by the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) at Panjab University here today.

Meet Hayer said that the state government has fulfilled the long pending demand of the teachers of the universities-colleges and given them UGC Scales. Most of the colleges are running with the support of guest faculty and part time lecturers due to non-recruitment in colleges for a long time. The government also increased the honorarium of these teachers. Apart from this, facilities for holidays etc have been given to this cadre.

On PUTA's demand regarding the restoration of old pension for government employees, Meet Hayer said that the Chief Minister has already instructed the Chief Secretary to look into the possibilities of restoring the old pension. He said that every promise made by the state government to the people is being fulfilled. Apart from this, the promises which have not been in list of manifesto are also being fulfilled, such as one MLA-one pension etc.

Earlier, the Higher Education Minister was honored by Panjab University Taechers’ Association. PUTA President Mrintyjai Kumar welcomed Meet Hayer and thanked the state government for fulfilling the demand of college-university teachers pertaining to UGC scales. He also thanked Chief Minister and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

Prominent among others who were present at the occasion included MLAs Jagdeep Goldy Kamboj and Narinder Sawna, Punjab Youth Development Board Chairman Goldy Kharar, PUTA’s officer bearers Amarjit Singh Noura, Navdeep Goyal, Raunki Ram, Jitinder Grover, Rajat Sandhir, Dalwinder Singh, Keshav Malhotra and Yograj Angreesh, Senate member Sandeep Kataria, Shaminder Sandhu and Gurmeet Singh, former student leader Dr. Bhupinder Singh Batth.