In a bid to reinvigorate the public-sector institutes, the Punjab Higher Education Department introduced college councils in the hope that they will be the answer to the grim educational scene. After getting the project approved, the department notified the constitution of 17-member councils in all colleges across the province. The council is represented among others by students, parents, philanthropists and legislators. The council serves as 'mini-syndicates' in respective college and takes decisions about administrative and academic matters, student affairs and even utilization of funds.

Composition
Each college council is chaired by the principal and the vice principal serves as its secretary. The other 15 members are: one senior representative each of professors, associate professors, assistant professors and lecturers in a college; one engineer (SE/EXEN/SDO) nominated by the commissioner concerned; one representative of district coordination officer; two parents nominated by the commissioner from the panel forwarded by a college principal; two philanthropists/social
workers/industrialists/persons of eminence etc., nominated by the commissioner; one member of the Punjab Assembly to be nominated by the Chief Minister's Secretariat; and three students' representatives -- one each from intermediate, graduate and postgraduate level -- to be selected/nominated by principal on merit instead of election. The Punjab Higher Education Department practices the exercise of selecting and nominating members on the councils. It is learnt that the Government of the Punjab realized that the business processes of government-run colleges had been proving detrimental to their progress and upkeep, and decided to re-engineer them.

Rules of Business
• The college council is believed to be empowering the administration of college in managing affairs at institutional level. It has been empowered to hold, use and administer the property and funds of the college. However, it is not authorized to alienate college property.

• The college council prudently utilizes funds allocated for the repairs and maintenance of college buildings besides assisting the principals in implementing development plans through public and private funding. It is also empowered to re-appropriate multi-purpose funds received from students. The funds placed at disposal of college council will not be audited as per procedures laid down in the Punjab Financial Rule rather the college council in consultation with the government may arrange for conducting the audit through a private audit party at any time.

• The council is authorized to make and frame rules and regulations for maintaining discipline in college. It decides and deliberates upon student affairs in order to support college administration. It also furnishes details for the funds' requirement and expenditure for the maintenance and repairs grant to the Punjab Higher Education Department.

• The council also supervises and implements admission policy of the government and maintains the standards of education with an analytical approach for students' results of quarterly and annual examinations. It is required to keep liaison with the parents and community at large for facilitating students on their academic and social responsibilities and arrange financial assistance for the deserving students.

• The college council enjoys the authority to recommend the transfer and posting of incumbents against sanctioned posts of the college as well as recommend suitable honorary/ad-hoc teachers for the college against vacant posts to the government under CTIs policy or otherwise to be paid out of college funds. The council is also empowered to recommend postings and transfers, and disciplinary actions against the non-gazetted staff to the principal.

• The council also prescribes the duties of officers, teachers and other employees as well as recommends punitive actions in case of misconduct or inefficiency. It arranges and conducts college inspection in accordance with the government policy and prescribed rules.

• The council is assigned duties to promote co-curricular and extra-curricular activities such as establishing various student clubs in colleges, introducing various societies for debates, declamation, biological/environmental sciences, engineering, technical, computers, college magazine and sports.

• The tenure of nominated members is two years. In case the nominating authority wants to remove any member, other than MPA, it will move a reference to the Punjab Higher Education Secretary for final decision.