PU Issue-Central Government seems to insult and denigrate not only the high academic status of Panjab University, Chandigarh, but also the hidden agenda of snatching Chandigarh from the legitimate accepted claim of the Punjab state as its capital!
Chandigarh:
Concerns expressed by former Senators/Syndics/Deans of Panjab University, Chandigarh, regarding Central Govt moves on Panjab University and Chandigarh city!
We, the following former Senators/Syndics/Deans of Punjab University, Chandigarh, express our deep concern at the fast deteriorating and escalating situation by the notifications issued by the Chancellor/ Central Govt. on 28th October 2025, abolishing the democratic structure of Panjab University, Chandigarh!
Subsequent clarifications/withdrawals of these notifications have worsened rather than pacify.In the First notification Panjab University, with a democratic structure continuing for more than a century, was done away with the unthinking and arrogant stroke of a pen, thus creating terror and concern and reaction among students, faculty and the Punjab people at large. The treatment with Universities like JNU and Central University of Hyderabad, with the ill intention of saffronisation of education at the cost of scientific quest for knowledge, and unleashing a chain of oppression of democratic rights of faculty and students, created an atmosphere of fear on the campus and in response., Dharna and mass resistance of students, supported by many unions, including peasant unions. While the notification was rescinded after a flip-flop, the long-pending elections to the Senate were neither announced nor was any timeline given for their announcement, which led to much suspicion about the intention of the Central Government and led to escalation and bigger mass participation in support of students.
While no effort by the University or the Central government was made to initiate a dialogue with student groups, to de-escalate the already emotionally charged atmosphere, the intention to take Chanigarh under direct Central Government control became public, about which another clarification was made!
The whole process adopted by the Central Government seems to insult and denigrate not only the high academic status of Panjab University, Chandigarh, but also the hidden agenda of snatching Chandigarh from the legitimate accepted claim of the Punjab state as its capital! The issue of Chandigarh hand over to Punjab state as its sole capital has lingered in last six decades, which has now erupted as a major political and emotional crisis! No right-thinking Punjabi, except a few diehard religious fundamentalists, trusts the Central Govt. in this regard.
Under an emotionally charged atmosphere, the foremost need is to de-escalate the situation. There are complex issues involved regarding Chandigarh city as well as Panjab University's democratic structural reforms. The reforms which were suggested by various committees formed by earlier Senates, were not taken into account to make genuine structural reforms, which need more democratisation, like reservation for women in different categories of the Senate, upgrading the graduate’s constituency to post-graduate levels, Deans to be elected from PU departments themselves, etc. The haughty and arrogant action of the Central Govt. has rather killed the possible reforms at least for some time. Taking into account the situation on the ground, we suggest the following steps to de-escalate the situation to bring normalcy and then win the trust of all stakeholders to move further. It is urgently required to
1. Notify immediately the election schedule of the Senate! The elected Senate should address the issue of academic reforms essential for the growth of the University, but without harming the democratic structure of the University!
2. Central Govt should either transfer Chandigarh city to Punjab to fulfil its long pending and accepted legitimate demand, which will solve Panjab University issue, as the Inter state character of the University will revert to Punjab State University as it was between 1947 to 1966 or make a clear declaration that Chandigarh and by implication Panjab University will be handed over to Punjab in a time bound manner.!
We are afraid that without taking these two steps immediately, the situation in the University and Punjab state will deteriorate further, and any strong muscle actions will escalate it further and create more divisions in society, for which the Central Govt and its prime ruling party will be solely responsible!
Agreed by
1. Prof. Chaman Lal, Senator and Dean PU Chandigarh
2. Prof. H S Mehta Senator and Syndic “
3. Prof. Swaranjit Mehta, Retired Professor, PU Chandigarh
4. Advocate Dr. Dayal Pratap Singh Randhawa Senator and Syndic