LAHORE: The Punjab University Syndicate on Tuesday recommended a Rs13.8 billion budget for the approval of the Senate for year 2022-23.

The 1746th meeting of the Syndicate was held at the new campus and chaired by acting ViceChancellor (VC) Prof Dr Saleem Mazhar.

The Syndicate decided to continue providing scholarships to the students so that the burden on the pockets of students and their parents could be reduced despite facing serious financial pressure amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting approved the anticipated order of appointments in the light of the recommendations ofthe selection board. The Syndicate allocated Rs226 million for the promotion of research culture and would also continue the overseas scholarship scheme for teachers. It also approved Rs233 million in scholarships for students.

The university allocated Rs78 million for participation in national and international conferences.

The deficit of Rs941 million would be managed by introducing new market-based programmes, reducing expenditures and adopting austerity measures.

The university expects a Rs2.9 billion grant from the Higher Education Commission, 22 percent of the total budget, and would generate the remaining 78 percent from its own sources.

According to other salient features of the budget, students withspecial needs will also be provided with free education along with boarding facilities while students taking admission on sports seats will be provided with free education.

The universitywillwaive off the tuition fees of Hafiz-i-Quran and will provide Rs233 million in scholarships to the students.

Moreover, HEC scholarships worth Rs136 million and PEEF scholarships will also be provided to students.

The university would continue to provide subsidies of millions of rupees to the students in hostel, transportandinternetheadsandin addition to the above, subsidy on electricity bills in teaching departments is also being provided.

The PU has allocated Rs608 million for development projects.

The Syndicate also constitutedan inquiry committee to review the selection board decisions on recent appointments in different departments of the university.

Higher Education Department Additional Secretary Universities Shahid Zaman Lak told Dawn that the committee was constituted to inquire about the selection board`s matter.

He said the committee would probe into the conduct of the selection board in which the department would have received the complaints.

He said the committee would cross-check the details of the selection boards which were challenged by the candidates.

VC Prof Saleem, however, said the committee would only probe the proceedings of the selection boards of those departments whose cases were in the court.