The Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA), comprising around 250 unaided colleges across Punjab, under the leadership of Dr. Anshu Kataria, President PUCA and Chairman, Aryans Group of Colleges, Rajpura (near Chandigarh), will welcome Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, Hon’ble Governor of Punjab, at Abohar on 12th February.
Sharing the details, PUCA Coordinator (Abohar), Shri Abhishek, informed that a special programme will be organised at DAV Campus, Abohar, to honour PUCA member colleges for their active support and participation in the four-day Anti-Drug Padyatra led by the Hon’ble Governor across Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Abohar. On the occasion of the closing ceremony, a langar will also be organised for approximately 5,000 participants.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Ankit Jain from Jain College of Pharmacy, Mr. Manpreet Makkar from Sri Guru Ram Das College, Malout, and Mr. Sahil Mittal from Meera College of Nursing stated that for the last decade, PUCA has been working tirelessly for the welfare of students and society. They further affirmed that PUCA member institutions are fully committed to taking concrete steps to make their campuses drug-free.
It is noteworthy that on 12th February, the Anti-Drug Padyatra of the Hon’ble Governor will commence from the Municipal Corporation, Abohar, and culminate at DAV College, Abohar, followed by the closing ceremony organised by PUCA at the DAV Campus. Punjab continues to face a serious challenge of drug abuse. According to NCRB reports, Punjab recorded 144 drug overdose deaths in 2022, the highest in the country, and 89 overdose deaths in 2023.
Official data submitted before the Punjab and Haryana High Court further revealed that 266 people lost their lives due to drug overdose between April 2020 and March 2023. Thousands of cases are registered annually under the NDPS Act, reflecting the magnitude of the problem. These alarming figures underline the urgent need for awareness, rehabilitation, strict enforcement, and collective societal action to achieve a drug-free Punjab.
Dr. Anshu Kataria, a prominent educationist and President of PUCA, has been actively representing the interests of unaided technical and professional institutions in Punjab. Under his leadership, PUCA has consistently raised issues related to admissions, scholarships, regulatory approvals, and student welfare, while strengthening coordination between private colleges and the Government.
Established in 2015, the Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA) serves as a unified platform for unaided private colleges across Punjab. The association works closely with Government and regulatory authorities to safeguard institutional interests, promote quality education, and contribute to the overall development of higher education in the state.
On the occasion the team of Aryans Group of Colleges including Dr Garima Thakur Deputy Director, Ms Manpreet Mann, Dean Scholarship, Er Shahid lone, Danish, Mohsin, Simran, Shahnawaj, Akshita etc were present.