The protest at Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, grew intense on Monday, November 10, as tensions between protesters and police led to a brief clash at one of the main university gates. The protestors, including farmer unions and student groups, are demanding that the government immediately announce the election schedule for the university’s senate — the top governing body — whose term ended last year.
The clash broke out when groups of protesters tried to enter the university campus despite heavy police deployment. Police used mild force to stop them, but the crowd managed to push through. Senior superintendent of police Kanwardeep Kaur was seen trying to calm the situation.
By mid-day, around 500 protesters had gathered near the vice-chancellor’s office, where they held prayers and speeches. Prominent student leaders, including PUCSC vice-president Ashmeet Singh and former senator Ravinder Singh Dhaliwal, addressed the crowd. The campus was otherwise quiet as the university had declared a two-day holiday on November 10 and 11.
The protest marks a growing confrontation between the Centre and Punjab over the university’s autonomy. The demand for senate elections has been pending for nearly a year, but tensions rose sharply after the central government announced major changes to the Panjab University Act, 1947, in late October.
On October 28, the central government issued a notification to amend the Panjab University Act, proposing a smaller senate with just 31 members instead of 90 and replacing most elected positions with nominated ones. The new plan also removed elections for the university’s executive body, the syndicate.
This move was widely seen as an attack on PU’s autonomy and as part of a larger attempt to reduce Punjab’s influence over the university. The proposal triggered immediate criticism from students, teachers, and political leaders, who argued that such changes would undermine the democratic structure that PU has followed for over a century.
After facing strong resistance, the Centre withdrew the notification on November 7. However, the Panjab University Bachao Morcha — a group of teachers, students, and alumni — decided to continue the protest until the university announces the senate election schedule.
The controversy also reignited Punjab’s long-standing political concerns about Chandigarh’s status as a Union Territory and its shared governance between Punjab and Haryana. Many in Punjab believe that the Centre’s interference in PU reflects a deeper imbalance in the state’s relationship with the central government.
The current crisis at PU cannot be seen in isolation. The university’s identity is closely tied to Punjab’s political and historical journey. Originally established in Lahore in 1882, the University of the Punjab became one of India’s oldest universities. After Partition in 1947, when Lahore became part of Pakistan, the eastern part of Punjab established a new Panjab University, which moved its base to Shimla, then Jalandhar, and finally to Chandigarh — the new joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
In 1966, when Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were carved out of Punjab, PU was made an “inter-state body corporate” under the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Chandigarh became a Union Territory, administered by the Centre but serving as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
ALSO READ: Tech glitch cripples Delhi airport operations, hundreds of flights face major delays
ALSO READ: BJP still needs Nitish Kumar despite differences in Bihar politics
Since then, the governance and funding of PU have been shared between Punjab and the Centre. The central government contributes around 85% of its total budget, while Punjab provides the rest. However, Punjab continues to see PU as part of its cultural and educational identity. Many political and social groups in Punjab view any move to centralise control over PU as an attack on the state’s historical and linguistic rights.
This sentiment also ties into larger issues such as Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh and disputes over river waters — long-standing matters of political sensitivity between Punjab, Haryana, and the Centre.
The PU protest has now attracted wide attention across Punjab. Several farmer organisations, student groups, and Sikh bodies have joined the movement. Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann accused the central government of attempting a “backdoor entry” into the university’s affairs. “The state will never surrender its rights,” he declared.
Prominent activists like Lakha Sidhana and actor-director Amitoj Mann were seen at the protest site. Singer Satinder Sartaaj, a Panjab University alumnus, also visited the site to express solidarity. Political leaders from Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal were expected to join as well.
To prevent the protest from escalating, Chandigarh police deployed around 2,000 personnel across the city and set up 12 checkpoints, causing major traffic disruptions on the Zirakpur-Chandigarh highway and near Punjab’s borders with Mohali and Mullanpur.
Meanwhile, the PU administration and some experts argue that reforming the senate structure is necessary. They say the earlier election system was too politicised and expensive, involving more than three lakh registered graduates. The reforms, they claim, were meant to streamline governance in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
However, critics say this argument is misleading. Student and teacher groups argue that ending elections and reducing representation is anti-democratic and undermines PU’s tradition of participatory governance. They insist that the Centre’s move was not about efficiency but about controlling an institution deeply connected to Punjab’s identity.
For many, the protest at Panjab University has become more than just a campus issue. It symbolizes Punjab’s struggle to protect its autonomy, culture, and voice within India’s federal structure. As protests continue, the issue highlights the complex balance between education, democracy, and identity — a debate that extends far beyond the gates of Panjab University.
Copyright © © 2022 Copyright. All Rights Reserved with Arth Parkash