Panjab University observing Vigilance Awareness Week 

Chandigarh, October 28, 2024: Panjab University (PU) is observing Vigilance Awareness Week from 28th October to 3rd November, 2024 on the theme of “Culture of Integrity for Nation’s Prosperity”. 

Various departments including Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital, Department of Education, Department of Library and Information Science, Department-cum-Centre for Women's Studies, Urdu, Centre for Distance and Online Education, Department of Gandhian Stuides, Political Science, UIFT organised number of awareness programmes, poster-making competition, events, pledges etc. to emphasise integrity, accountability, and public vigilance. The Vigilance Awareness Week will continue till 3rd November 2024 to highlight the importance of fostering integrity and ethical conduct for national growth.

The Vigilance Awareness Week commenced with the administration of ‘Integriy Pledge’ by Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the University Prof. Geeta Bansal. She also delivered a very interactive and enlightening lectures at Senate Hall and Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital where she discussed the significance of vigilance in governance and everyday actions. 

At the Dr. Harvansh Singh Judge Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital, the day began with a poster-making competition on the theme, in which about 25 students participated. This was followed by the Integrity Pledge taking ceremony, where Prof Deepak Gupta Principal of the institute administered the oath to the faculty staff and students of the institute wherein all the recipients pledged to uphold ethical values. About 200 students attended the enlightening lecture by PU CVO Prof. Geeta Bansal. She involved and engaged the audience through various interactive games and left the students motivated and inspired. Prof. Praveen Goyal, NSS Coordinator underlined the role of youth in fostering integrity and social responsibility. Prof. Deepak Gupta, Principal of the institute encouraged the students to embody honesty and transparency in their personal and professional lives. Prof Bansal, Prof Gupta and Prof Anubha later judged the creative posters and gave awards to the winners.

On this occasion, Dental Institute students also spread awareness through creative performances, including a Nukkad Natak (street play) and a flash mob at the Student Centre, Stu-C, engaging the audience and reinforcing the importance of vigilance.

The Department of Education, Panjab University, Chandigarh, also observed Vigilance Awareness Week with an Integrity Pledge. The chairperson Prof. Satvinderpal Kaur led the pledge, with students of the M.Ed., research scholars, teaching staff, and non-teaching staff participating and repeating the pledge in unison.

The Department of Library and Information Science, Panjab University, Chandigarh, also celebrated the Vigilance Awareness Week. The faculty members, research scholars, students and non-teaching staff members of the Department took the Integrity Pledge. Prof Rupak Chakravarty, Chairperson, initiated the event by enlightening everyone on the impact of vigilance awareness especially among students and in the library environment. Relevance of vigilance in public sectors especially the academic environment was also discussed comprehensively. The audience was sensitised to the need for transparency and integrity in public governance. At the end, an interactive session was held among all the participants. 

To commemorate the occasion, students of Department-cum-Centre for Women's Studies recited poems focusing on curbing the menace of corruption, and how to develop the nation further. Earlier, Dr. Rajesh Kumar Chander, Chairperson, Prof. Manvinder Kaur & Dr. Ameer Sultana participated in the pledge taking activity. At the end of the programme, Chairperson formally thanked the faculty, non-teaching staff, guest faculty, project associates, research scholars, students for participating in the pledge-taking ceremony and participating in other extra-curricular activities to commemorate the integrity week, and felicitated the studentsalongwith faculty. The event was attended by almost 50 participants –faculty, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. The formal vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Rajesh Kumar Chander, Associate Professor/Chairperson.