LAHORE - Punjab University Acting Vice Chancellor Dr Liaqat Ali said the administration was providing best facilities to the students which were not being provided in any other public sector universities even after charging the lowest fee as compared to others.
Addressing a press conference at PU Executive Club on Friday, Dr Ali said the activities of a student faction were in violation of the Supreme Court’s order in which the apex court had banned political student organisations and political activities on campus. He said a so-called group of students wanted to disturb peaceful academic atmosphere of the university.
He said there was huge financial cut to the HEC grant and the HEC had also written a letter to universities to reduce dependence on the commission and asked universities to generate income through own resources, donations and increasing fees etc.
Despite the fact, he said, the tuition fees of students had not been increased by even a single penny for past many years. He clarified that PU administration had clearly mentioned in its admission advertisement that hostel facility would not be provided to the students of self supporting/afternoon classes and students also submitted a form that they were capable of affording their all educational expenses.
While the PU’s fees of self-supporting/evening classes were up to three times lesser than the fees of other public sector universities, he added. He stated that transport facility was being provided to evening classes students and 16 routes were being operated.
PU Acting Treasurer Rao Sharif said in tuition fees head, the varsity was getting Rs 100.275 million while it was spending 82.757 million on scholarships being provided to students and student affairs.
He said that in terms of hostel fees, PU was getting only Rs 7.750 million while it was spending a huge amount of Rs 87.037 million and thus affording expenditures of Rs 79.287 million on its own and that burden was not being shifted to students’ pocket.
He said the PU transport wing was getting Rs 72.500 million while 112.327 million rupees were being spent to provide transport facility to all the students and thus bearing an additional burden of Rs 39.827 million.
Recently, he added, with a cost of Rs 11 million, two new buses had been added to the PU fleet. He said the university was getting Rs 16.930 million in terms of internet facility while it was spending Rs 33.280 million and giving a subsidy of Rs 16.35million on its own.
Concluding the briefing, he said that PU was spending an additional amount of Rs 117.946 million in providing only these four facilities to the students and managing that huge chunk of amount through its own resources, which was unmatched.
PU Registrar Dr Khan Raas Masood, Additional Registrar Prof Dr Aurangzeb Alamgir, Chairman Hall Council Dr Muhammad Akhter, Student Adviser Prof Dr Rafique Ahmed, Resident Officer 1 Javed Sami, Acting Treasurer Rao Muhammad Sharif and other officials were present on the occasion.
REVISED SCHEDULE: The PU Examinations Department issued the revised schedule for submission of admission forms and fee for MSc Home Economics, Part-I and Part-II, Annual Examination 2012.