Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was both a student and a teacher in the faculty and students of Panjab University, where, which on Monday hailed the budgetary grant of INR50 crore to the cash-starved institution. Many said they were grateful to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as well as Manmohan Singh for coming to the aid of one of India's oldest universities, set up originally in Lahore. The university is funded by the central and Punjab governments in a 60:40 ratio. It has over 10,000 students, 70 % of them women.
Ronki Ram, president of the Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA), mentioned that Punjab university being chosen for this grant over all other universities was a matter of pride. According to Ronki Ram, currently there is a financial deficit of INR168 crore. The grant 'would certainly help improve the situation to some extent.'
