Dr Harjit Singh is also a well-known biotechnologist and is currently residing in Canada. Dr Kang had claimed that Dr Harjit Singh would join office in the first week of February but has failed to turn up. Confirming the appointment of Dr Gosal, Director Research Dr P S Minhas said: “As Dr Harjit Singh has not joined yet, we have asked the second person on the list, which happens to be Dr Gosal, to take over.”

Dr Kang had to face a lot of opposition from the PAU Board of Management and even the university faculty while appointing Dr Harjit Singh. When the V-C went to the extent of appointing Dr Singh without even interviewing him, Dr Kang had cited procedure. “The PAU has such a provision — in case I feel a person can serve the university, we can forego the interview. Still, three former V-Cs of other universities have gone through Dr Singh’s biodata and recommended his name,” he had said.

Since Dr G S Hira retired as ADR (Agriculture) in 2007, the post has not had a regular appointment. Dr Hira was followed by Dr M S Aulakh, who is Dean of the College of Agriculture at present, on a brief stint.