Department of Sociology

Information under Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2005

1.	The particulars of its organisation, functions and duties.
	The Department of Sociology is actively engaged in teaching and research in the areas of Development Studies, Gender and Family Studies, Urban and Population Studies and Marginalized Communities. The Department, having completed four Phases of Special Assistance Programme, has been designated as Centre for Advanced Study by the University Grants Commission, with four thrust areas, viz. Sustainable Development, Family and Gender Studies, Population, Health and Aging, Social Control and Deviance. The Department offers the degrees of Masters in Sociology, Master of Philosophy in Sociology and Doctorate in Sociology. Apart from teaching, the Department formulates and regularly updates the syllabi of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Sociology in appropriate academic bodies as per the University Calendar.

2.	The powers and duties of its officers and employees.
	The Faculty performs its duties of teaching and guiding research at Masters, M.Phil. and Ph.D. levels, apart from conducting their own independent research, making an impressive academic output in the shape of publications, extension lectures and participation of national and international seminars/workshops. The Department has been organizing Weekly Seminar since its inception and holds a number of national and international conferences every year.

3.	The procedure followed in the decision making process, including channels of supervision and accountability.
	At the department level, all the decisions are taken as per the Rules and Regulations of the University. As per Panjab University Calendar Vol. III, there are three statutory committees, i.e., Academic Committee, Administrative Committee and Technical Committee and their respective functions are prescribed at page 386 of P.U. Cal. Vol. III. All the matters regarding admissions and migration are placed before the respective Board of Control/ Committees, which are constituted by the University every year. All the decisions are taken by the appropriate committees/bodies of the Department.

4.	The norms set by it for the discharge of its functions.
	All the functions are discharged by following the democratic process in the appropriate bodies/ committees constituted under the Rules and Regulations of the University.

5.	The rules, regulations, instructions, manuals and records, held by it or under its control or used by its employees for discharging its functions.
	All the Rules and Regulations, instructions/manuals are given in the Panjab University Calendar, which are available on the website of the university and no separate rules, regulations, manuals etc. are held under the control of the department as such except the records pertaining exclusively to the Department of Sociology.

6.	A statement of the categories of documents that are held by it or under its control.
	Attendance registers, stock register, fee receipts, bank account, admission forms of students, internal assessment awards, correspondence files pertaining to the Department, service books of teaching and non-teaching staff etc. are held in the office of the Department.

7.	The particulars of any arrangement that exists for consultation with, or representation by, the members of the public in relation to the formulation of its policy or implementation thereof.
	The Department has a Departmental Association consisting of a Faculty in Charge, Research Scholars, Department Representatives and Class Representatives. The Association organizes educational tours and Intra Departmental Sports competitions during the session and Cultural Functions at the commencement and towards the end of the session.

8.	A statement of the boards, councils, committees and other bodies consisting of two or more persons constituted as its part or for the purpose of its advice, and as to whether meetings of those boards, councils, committees and other bodies are open to the public, or the minutes of such meetings are accessible for public.
	Under the relevant Rules and Regulations of the University, the Board of Control, Academic, Administrative and Technical Committees are constituted annually to discharge their respective functions as given in the Panjab University Calendar. The Undergraduate and Postgraduate Boards of Studies are constituted under relevant Rules and Regulations of the University to administer the course structure and related issues. The Department also appoints by consensus Faculty in Charge for Student Activities, Weekly Seminar, Departmental Library, Admissions, Time-Table etc. The Department also has a placement cell with a Teacher in Charge.

9.	A directory of its officers and employees.
	The Directory of the teachers working in the department is available on the website of the Department of Sociology. Since the non teaching staff keeps on changing/ transferred in the University, their complete record is available with the Establishment Branch of the University.

10.	The monthly remuneration received by each of its officers and employees, including the system of compensation as provided in its regulations.
	The record of monthly remuneration received by each officer and employee of the department is maintained by and held under the control of the Accounts Branch of the University.

11.	The budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursements made.
	The budget allocation is also made by the University for every financial year the details of which are available with the Budget Section of the University.

12.	The manner of execution of subsidy programmes, including the amounts allocated and the details of beneficiaries of such programmes.
	All programmes are executed after the approval of the appropriate bodies. The total amount allocated and utilized for any programme is subject to the approval of the auditors (appointed by the Govt.) and prior approval of the competent authorities. The beneficiaries of such programmes are mainly the students and staff members working in the Department of Sociology.

13.	Particulars of recipients of concessions, permits or authorisations granted by it.
	The Department receives fees from the students as prescribed by the University from time to time. All concessions including fee concession are given to the students under the rules and regulations of the University.

14.	Details in respect of the information, available to or held by it, reduced in an electronic form.
	The information pertaining to the faculty members and the students in an electronic form is available on the official website of the University.

15.	The particulars of facilities available to citizens for obtaining information, including the working hours of a library or reading room, if maintained for public use.
	The facilities of the department are primarily available to the students and staff of the department. The timings of opening and closing of the Department and its office are as per the directions of the University. Likewise, it follows the academic Calendar (including holidays) as prescribed by the University. The Department has a well equipped Library with a large number of books, Journals, both national and international and an effectively utilized Seminar Hall. The Library of the Department is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Monday till Friday and it is primarily available for students and the faculty. However, any members of the public can have access to the library on the university working days and with prior written permission of the Chairperson.

16.	The names, designations and other particulars of the Public Information Officers.
	Prof (Ms.) Rajesh Gill, Chairperson, is the Public Information Officer for the information held by the Department of Sociology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Her contact numbers are 0172-2770054, 2534739.

17.	Such other information as may be prescribed; and thereafter update these publications every year.
	The Department of Sociology keeps un dating its information and the important information is regularly displayed on the university website from time to time.

Service

Department of Sociology

Information under Section 4 of the Right to Information Act, 2005