Punjabi University

Punjabi University is a higher education institute located in Patiala, Punjab, India. Punjabi University teaches and researches in science, engineering and technology, humanities, social sciences, performing arts and sports.

It was established on the 30 April 1962, and is only the second university in the world to be named after a language, after Hebrew University of Israel. Originally it was conceived as a unitary multi-faculty teaching and research university, primarily meant for the development and enrichment of Punjabi language and culture, but alive to the social and education requirements of the state.

Campus

The university campus is spread over an area of 316 acres (1.3 km²), on the Patiala-Chandigarh road, about 7 kilometers from Patiala. The institution has 65 teaching and research departments, covering disciplines in Humanities, Science, Fine Arts, Computer Science and Business Management.^[1]

The university has five regional centres: the Guru Kashi Regional Center at Bathinda, Guru Kashi Campus at Talwandi Sabo, Regional Centre for Information Technology and Management at Mohali, Nawab Sher Mohammad Khan Institute of Advanced Studies in Urdu, Persian and Arabic at Malerkotla and College of Education at Bathinda.^[2] Punjabi University maintains six neighborhood campuses at Rampura Phul, Jhunir, Sardulgarh, Karandi, Ralla and Dehla Seehan.^[3]

The university has undertaken the responsibility of maintaining the estate of Norah Richards at Andretta, Himachal Pradesh. Arrangements have been made for faculty members and students who wish to carry out study and research in the fields of theatre and television. The university manages Balbir Singh Sahitya Kendra at Dehradun, the capital city of the Uttarakhand. There is a rich library with rare books and manuscripts bequeathed by Bhai Vir Singh, Balbir Singh and Prof Puran Singh, the doyens of Punjabi literature. Research on comparative religions is carried out at this center.

History

Punjabi University was established on 30 April 1962 under the Punjabi University Act 1961 as a residential and teaching university, not as an affiliating University. It started functioning from temporary accommodation in Barandari Palace building. Initially its jurisdictional area was fixed as the 10-mile (16 km) radius. There were only nine colleges — six professional and three art and science colleges in Patiala — which fell within its jurisdiction. The university moved to its present campus in 1965. The campus is spread over about 316 acres (1.28 km²) with imposing buildings in lush green, pollution-free environment away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The campus at Patiala makes international standard facilities available for students and researchers.

Although initially the main task before the university was to develop and promote the language of the Punjabi people, it has since evolved into a multi-faceted, multi-faculty educational institution. It grew into an affiliating university in 1969, with 43 colleges affiliated to it and covering Patiala, Sangrur and Bathinda districts of Punjab. Since then, it developed significantly and acquired a distinctive character among the centres of education and research in the country. Now, it has 138 affiliated colleges spread over nine districts of Punjab. The affiliated colleges are in districts of Patiala, Barnala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, Mohali, Rupnagar and Faridkot.

Doctorate degree

To obtain a doctorate degree from the university one should pass the Punjabi language exam (Punjabi pravesika) conducted by the university twice a year. Students who studies Punjabi as a subject until 10th standard need not to qualify the same.

Landmarks

Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan

Serenity in University

• The famous Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan
• Media Centre
• Guru Teg Bahadur Hall
• Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha Central Library
• Science Auditorium
• University School of Applied Management (USAM)
• School of Management Studies (formerly Punjab School of Management Studies)
• Bhagwan Dass Canteen (BD)
• Goal Market (GM)
• T-point
• Punjab School Of Law (PSL)
• New Pakwan (NP)
• University College of Engineering
• University Computer Centre
• Velodrome
• Shri Guru Granth Sahib Bhawan

Facilities and achievements

• Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha Central Library is a hub of academic and research activities. It is housed in a spacious modern building, stocks more than 415,000 books and subscribes to several hundred journals. The latest books are added regularly. The library is kept open for 360 days of the year from 8.15 a.m. to 8.15 p.m. The library has a majestic reading hall, which has a capacity for 400 readers where they can sit and consult reference books and other relevant literature. A separate air-conditioned hall for using the personal books and a Reading Room has been provided at the ground floor. One night Reading Room remains open from 8.00 p.m. to 12.00 p.m. To further modernize university library services, it is being computerized.
  • Ganda Singh Punjabi Reference Library, which is an integral part of the library, is housed in a new building interlinked with the main building for the convenience of the staff and the users. This part of the library has 41,548 books on Punjabi Language, Literature, Punjab History and Culture.
  • The University Library is maintains libraries in some of the departments at the campus, Extension Library at S.A.S.Nagar (Mohali), and a Library at Regional Center Bathinda. Besides, Balbir Singh Sahitya Kendra, Dehradun has a rich library containing rare books and manuscripts.
• The Computer Center has established a local area network and all departments enjoy the facilities of Internet and e-mail through this network. The Computer Center and all teaching departments are equipped with the latest computers and software.
• Students are encouraged to take active part in sports. Well-maintained sports grounds and facilities for games such as hockey, football, cricket, basketball, volleyball, athletics, etc. and well as indoor games are provided. The Punjabi University has a large gymnasium and a hall for indoor games. It is one of the very few institutions in India to possess its own velodrome. The Youth Welfare Department organizes activities all year round. The Punjabi University has won unique distinctions in youth festivals organized by the school's Association of Indian Universities in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, government of India, and other events. Punjabi University was awarded the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for excellence in sports in year 2006-07.^[4]
• The university has won overall second position in National Inter-University Youth Festival, won overall championship in North Zone Inter-University Youth Festival many times, has won overall championship in Punjab State Inter-University Youth Festival repeatedly and has won overall championship many times in All India Inter-University Punjabi Cultural Festival. Students of Punjabi University have had the privilege of representing India in the festivals of India held in the former USSR, Mauritius, Spain, China, Germany and U.A.E. (Dubai). Apart from the above-mentioned activities, the Department of Youth Welfare organizes hiking, trekking, mountaineering and rock climbing courses, holds youth leadership training camps, prepares the students for participation in All India Level Youth Festivals, organizes Rotract Club, Young Cultural Club, Lee Club and Youth Club. It organizes Yoga Training Camps for the benefit of students of the university teaching departments and colleges. The department publishes the Yuvak Sabha Magazine and holds literary and cultural competitions.
• The National Service Scheme being implemented by the NSS Department helps students to participate in different programs of social service and national development.
• A well equipped Health Center with qualified physicians and paramedical staff is at the service of the students round the clock. The center has an x-ray unit and a laboratory for medical tests. The center has an AIDS awareness wing. Students are entitled to free medical aid by the University Health Center. The Health Center is equipped with basic necessary and modern equipment.
• The transport department runs a fleet of buses for linking the campus to parts of Patiala city.
• There are three residential hostels for boys and four residential hostels for girls. The hostels have all modern amenities for comfortable living for 4000 students. In addition to this, separate boys and girls hostel for engineering college have started functioning.
• To keep pace with global thought processes and for updating of contemporary consciousness, every year the university has undertaken series of lectures, seminars and conferences. To make the university a vibrant global center for Punjabi language, literature and culture, a new faculty of Arts and Culture has been created. Originality and authenticity in the pursuit of Sikh Studies is another area which is receiving more attention and energy. Balbir Singh Sahitya Kendra Dehradun is being developed as an Advanced Center for Sikh Studies. Punjabi University has established the first ever overseas center for teaching of Punjabi as a foreign language at Espanola, New Mexico.
• All the departments are involved to promote research culture and spirit. Most of the departments have been able to mobilize additional research funding from UGC, DST, CSIR, Planning Commission, government departments and other official funding agencies. Some science departments have been able to develop research tie-ups with industry and have undertaken several consultancy assignments. Several faculty members have won national and international awards in recognition to their research work.
• The university has developed a particular expertise in Sikh Studies and Punjabi Historical Studies. Concerted efforts are being done in developing a translation programme in Punjabi and English. To develop an association with the outstanding scholars in Punjabi language, literature and culture, the university offers Life Fellowships, Senior Fellowships and Fellowships to the eminent scholars in these fields.
• To ensure academic freedom, the departments organize seminars, symposia, conferences and workshops every year. The teachers are encouraged to participate in national and international seminars through liberal funding. Many teachers are invited to deliver plenery lectures and preside over the sessions at seminars and conferences.
• The university established its own publication bureau which is actively engaged in publishing research work of the academic community. More than 2000 titles have been published.
• A very large number of students of this university hold key positions in departments of the government of India and state government, premier institutes such as IIT’s, BARC, CSIR research laboratories, universities in India and abroad and research laboratories in developed countries like US, Canada, UK etc.
• The teachers have guided thousands of Ph.D. scholars and have published enumerable research papers in National and International journals of repute. The departments of Physics, Botany, Economics and Punjabi have been bought under the UGC’s SAP/COSIST/DRS programmes.
• The Punjabi University takes pride in the achievement of Five Star status^[5] awarded by the NAAC, an autonomous body of the UGC, after a thorough evaluation of research projects undertaken and in the pipeline. The NACC team had an exhaustive interface with the faculty teaching departments.

Notable alumni

• Dr. Rattan Chand, Bureaucrat
• Om Puri, actor
• Malkit Singh, singer
• Navjot Singh Sidhu, cricketer, politician
• Navneet Kaur Dhillon, model and Miss India 2013
• Sanju Solanki, actor
• Rana Ranbir, actor
• Bhagwant Mann, comedian, politician
• Deepak Thakur, hockey player
• Binnu Dhillon, actor
• Kartar Cheema, actor
• Jagmeet Singh Brar, politician
• Devinder Shory, politician
• Samuel John, actor
• Sunil Mittal, CEO of Bharti Enterprises
• K. K. Talwar, cardiologist and Padma Bhushan recipient

Eminent faculty

• Dr. Harcharan Singh, Head of Punjabi Dept. from 1965–75
• Dalip Kaur Tiwana, writer
• Ujjal Singh Bahri, Linguist, Editor, Publisher
• Surjit Singh Sethi, theatre
• Balraj Pandit, Theatre
• Gurpreet Singh Lehal, computer sciences
• Baldev Raj Gupta, languages
• Gulzar Singh Sandhu, journalism
• Hardiljeet Singh 'Lalli', linguistics
• Navnindra Behl, theatre

See also

Similar universities in India:

• Kannada University
• Tamil University
• Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University
• Telugu University

References

External links

• Punjabi University, Patiala