Chandigarh: The Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, today gave its nod to introducing a Bill in the Vidhan Sabha to amend Sections 5 and 20 of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU) Act, to give MRSPTU colleges a one-time choice to choose their affiliation. 

The proposed amendments are in line with the High Court orders and would help in resolving the court cases filed in the Supreme Court. Following the amendment, the colleges which come under the territorial jurisdiction of MRSPTU would be able to choose between MRSPTU and IK Gujral PTU, as per their discretion. However, the new colleges to be set up in future would be bound for affiliation as per territorial jurisdiction of MRSPTU, Bathinda, and IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar. 

The Cabinet has also decided to bring in a draft "Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education Act 2017" Bill in the Vidhan Sabha session for the establishment of Punjab State Council for Agricultural Education. The Council will promote and coordinate agricultural education in various colleges and institutes in the state, and ensure sustained quality assurance in agricultural education. It will develop guidelines and regulate the higher agricultural education through grant of recognition to colleges/institutions/departments that meet the norms and standards prescribed to run educational degree programmes in agriculture. 

Once granted recognition, the recognized colleges/institutions departments shall automatically follow the prescribed system of education in governance, including infrastructure (class rooms, laboratories, equipment, instructional forms, etc); procedure of admission, recruitment of staff, resident instruction, course curricula, pattern of examination, etc,. as may be directed by the council from time to time.