BATHINDA: In its continued endeavour to provide quality higher education opportunities to students across Punjab and the country, the Central University of Punjab has received official approval for the creation of 46 new teaching and non-teaching positions. This development will facilitate the launch of five new departments, two new centres, and the execution of 17 new/existing academic programmes.
This important milestone has been achieved under the transformative mentorship of Hon’ble Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and the visionary leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari. It marks a significant advancement in the university’s ongoing journey of academic growth and institutional development.
According to the approval received from the Ministry of Education, the university has been authorised to add 44 teaching and 2 non-teaching posts. With this, the total sanctioned strength has increased to 261 teaching and 137 non-teaching positions, up from the earlier 217 and 135, respectively.
This expansion will support the creation of the following new academic entities in addition to the university’s existing 31 departments:
· Department of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
· Department of Community Medicine and Health
· Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management
· Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics
· Department of Public Policy and Governance
· Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Centre of Studies in Indic Civilization and Religious Studies
· Centre for Partition and Atrocities Studies (Research-only)
These new entities will facilitate the launch of integrated, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes, including:
· B.A. B.Ed. / B.Sc. B.Ed.
· B.Tech.-M.Tech., and Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
· BBA, MBA and Ph.D. in Hospitality and Tourism Management
· M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biotechnology
· M.Sc., PG Diploma, and Ph.D. in Community Medicine
· M.A. and Ph.D. in Public Policy and Governance
· M.A. and Ph.D. in Indic Civilization and Religious Studies
· Ph.D. in Partition and Atrocities Studies
While addressing the press conference, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Education and stated that this approval heralds a new era of academic expansion. He remarked, “This development not only boosts our academic profile but also enhances our potential to attract international students to study in the culturally rich and sacred land of Punjab.”
Prof. Tiwari also emphasized that the establishment of the Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Centre of Studies will be a fitting tribute on the occasion of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur, adding spiritual and philosophical depth to the university’s academic landscape.
Prof. Tiwari also highlighted that the CU Punjab has already earned national recognition for its academic and research output in disciplines such as science, humanities, law, management, and social sciences. The addition of these new departments and centres will strengthen the university’s contribution to emerging and interdisciplinary areas like Artificial Intelligence, Community Medicine, Public Policy, Religious Studies, and Biosciences.
Key dignitaries present at the press conference included Prof. R.K. Wusurika (Dean In-Charge of Academics), Prof. Sanjeev Thakur (Dean, Students’ Welfare), and Dr. Vijay Sharma (Registrar). The university fraternity welcomed this development and lauded the dynamic leadership of Prof. Tiwari for opening new avenues for academic excellence and institutional progress.