Chandigarh: Panjab University (PU) has dispatched an appointment letter to the younger brother of PhD scholar Jyoti for a job in the university, fulfilling an assurance made to the family after her death. However, the family is still awaiting the letter and says that providing employment alone is not enough, with accountability for the lapses identified in the magisterial inquiry also needing to translate into concrete action.Jyoti’s paternal uncle, Jitendra Kumar, said the family would decide its next course of action after receiving the appointment letter. “We are waiting for the letter. Once we receive it, we will act accordingly. But accountability is equally important. Something concrete should be done on the findings of the inquiry, and those responsible should be held accountable,” he said.A PU spokesperson confirmed that the appointment letter had been dispatched to the family.According to a university document dated July 28, following a meeting with Jyoti’s family on the day of her death, PU had agreed to offer her brother, Pawan Kumar, employment as an electrician. The document specified a pay scale of Rs 19,900 plus Rs 400 grade pay, along with dearness allowance and other allowances under Punjab govt rules, subject to the prescribed eligibility and procedural requirements.The appointment letter states that Pawan will be on probation. The family is awaiting the communication to confirm the appointment details and complete the joining formalities.The job was part of the assistance announced by the university after Jyoti’s death. The July 28 document also recorded financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh from the vice-chancellor’s discretionary fund and Rs 11 lakh through the office of the dean student welfare.The family’s demand for accountability comes after the Chandigarh deputy commissioner forwarded the magisterial inquiry report to the PU vice-chancellor on Oct 27. The DC asked the university to fix departmental responsibility on the sub-divisional engineer (electrical), junior engineer-in-charge, electrical inspector and other electrical maintenance staff concerned according to their assigned duties.The communication also called for departmental proceedings over lapses in inspection, maintenance, supervision and electrical safety management, an immediate electrical safety audit of the South Campus and priority rectification of identified defects.Jyoti, 28, was pursuing a PhD in microbiology and died near Girls Hostel No. 8 on PU’s South Campus while proceeding to her department on July 28.The family has questioned why two engineering officials suspended after her death were reinstated before the inquiry concluded. It has also said it has not officially received the report from either PU or the UT administration, and learnt about its findings through newspaper reports and copies shared by relatives.
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