Chandigarh, April 10 -- The chancellor's office has asked Panjab University's vice-chancellor to take necessary action on a complaint regarding faculty recruitment at MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36-A, in the absence of a regular principal for over 18 months. The communication forwards a representation by Mohali-based academic Anil Bhatia, submitted on March 30, the same day the college's screening committee met at the office of the Dean of College Development Council (DCDC), PU, to scrutinise applications for 11 assistant professor posts. In his complaint, Bhatia questioned whether recruitment can proceed in the absence of a regular principal, in light of the university's own rules and prior directions on the matter. In December 2025, Panjab University had warned that it would not entertain any correspondence signed by officiating principals after November 30, 2025. But when contacted, V-C Renu Vig said, "Both the PU vice-chancellor and the UT director of higher education are nominees on the screening committee. Their presence is sufficient authorisation for the recruitment to proceed. The absence of a regular principal is not grounds to stall appointments." Ravi Inder Singh, dean of DCDC, said the college was already in the process of appointing a regular principal and the matter was currently with the director of higher education, adding that there was no reason to interfere with the ongoing recruitment process. Notably, PU on multiple occasions has reiterated that an officiating principal can only hold charge for a maximum of six months. In March 2025, the university had directed colleges without regular principals to initiate the appointment process within 20 days, and in December 2025 warned that no correspondence signed by officiating principals would be entertained after November 30, 2025. The college has continued under an officiating arrangement beyond this period. The recruitment in question covers five permanent and six part-time posts of assistant professor. Permanent posts include two in English and one each in public administration, Punjabi and economics, while part-time posts are in fine arts, philosophy, English, psychology, public administration and history. As per the chancellor's office letter, PU has been asked to communicate the action taken directly to Bhatia, who retired as a professor from a PU-affiliated college....