Panjab University, Chandigarh

Panjab University, formerly the East Panjab University, was created by a special ordinance of lst October, 1947. It is a continuum of the Panjab University, Lahore, which was incorporated in 1882. It is now governed by the Panjab University Act 1947. After the partition, its headquarters were shifted to Solan. Teaching departments were started at Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana and Delhi. It moved to its present 360 acres campus at Chandigarh during 1956.

To meet the need to expand its activities over 130 acres of land was purchased in 1964. Another 103 acres have been identified and are being developed in a phased manner.

The overall governance of the University is vested in a Senate which elects a Syndicate, the chief decision making body. The administration and academic work of the University is looked after by the Academic Council, a Board of Studies and a Board of Control. The Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Executive assisted by 5 Deans, the Registrar and the Controller of Examinations.

The University has 49 teaching departments covering the Humanities, Science and Professional courses and Languages. This is the only University in the country where three of its Departments have been recognized as Advanced Centres by the University Grants Commission and seven Departments have been selected for special assistance programmes. The University has established several Centres like Regional sophisticated Instrumentation Centre, the Central Instrumentation Laboratory and the University Service Instrumentation Centre on the Campus. The Vishveshvaranand Vishwabandhu Institute of Sanskrit and Indological studies, Hoshiarpur, is also affiliated to the University.

Scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of merit and the students aid fund gives financial aid to needy students. Facilities like inter-library loans, microfilms and rnicro-card readings are available.

The Indian Council of Social Sciences Research established its North West Regional Centre to function in collaboration with the University. The University has been consciously attracting the best minds to its faculty. It has provided such comprehensive facilities as a library, health centre, a Department of Youth Welfare, an Employment Information and Guidance Bureau, the University Press, and a gymnasium. Giving the widest possible assistance to students, the University runs an evening college and has also established a Directorate of correspondence Courses. The architecture of the building was designed under the guidance of Le Corbusier.

Universities play a vital role in shaping men and in turn, the destinies of nations. The Panjab University is working with dedication to achieve this objective.

Material for text, Courtesy: Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Description of Design: The Stamp, designed by India Security Press Nashik Road, shows Gandhi Bhavan. The transparency for the stamp is taken by Swadesh Talwar. First Day Cover-"Student Centre" is designed by Samresh Chatterjee on the sketch supplied by Sharad Sovni, collection Museum of Fine Arts, Panjab University, Chandigarh, the cancellation prepared by Alka Sharma.

Date of Issue: 19.5.1989