PM's name missing from Punjab Univ honours list

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's name was found missing from a list of those given an honorary doctorate of law degree by the Panjab University.

Dr Singh was awarded the Doctor of Laws degree (honoris causa) at a special convocation in November 3, 2009. But his name was missing from a list, which was provided to RTI applicant Rajinder K Singla recently, the university Registrar A K Bhandari said in a statement in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Following the goof-up, a five-member committee was constituted by the Vice Chancellor to look into the issue. Based on the report submitted by the panel, the university suspended one of its employees, he said.

"We have taken serious note of this lapse and the employee concerned has been placed under suspension. Further action will be taken as per the recommendations of the committee," Bhandari said.

The Prime Minister's name did not figure in the list, furnished to the RTI activist, of those honoured by the university with a honoris causa degree since 1949.

The Registration Branch of the university had stated that 74 honoris causa degrees have been awarded in the field of law, literature, science and oriental learning since 1949 till February this year, but the name of Singh was not among the 74 honoured.

The Prime Minister was a student at the university in the 1950s and later went on to become a professor in the Economics Department.

Besides Dr Singh, the university has awarded Doctor of Laws degree to 25 people, including the country's first Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel (1949), former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi (1973) and Inder Kumar Gujral (1999), Union Minister Kapil Sibal (2006).