Following the ongoing students' protest over the Senate polls issue, the Panjab University, Chandigarh, postponed all exams scheduled from November 18 to 20. The decision was announced by PU on Saturday.
Punjab University (PU) Controller of Examinations, Jagat Bhushan, said the revised dates for the exams will be communicated in due course. The students have been advised to keep checking the university’s website for any further updates regarding the same.
PU took the decision after protesting students announced that they would boycott the exams until the schedule for the Senate polls, which have not been held in over a year, is announced. They also threatened not to let the exam take place if their demand was not met.
Representatives of the protesting students convened a meeting with the vice chancellor of the university last week, and informed that the VC assured them about the Senate poll schedule, which has been sent for approval to the chancellor, would soon be approved.
Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) Vice President Ashmeet Singh earlier said the protest would continue until their main demand of the Senate election schedule announcement is met.
Why is the protest being held?
The protest is being held near the VC’s office under the banner of 'Panjab University Bachao Morcha'.
In the beginning, students launched the protest against the Central government’s decision to restructure the university's governing bodies — the Senate and the Syndicate. Following this, on November 7, the Ministry of Education withdrew its October 28 notification for changing the constitution and composition of the two bodies. This decision was a result of the mounting pressure from various political leaders and the protesting students.
Despite the withdrawal of the decision, the students refused to end their protest, further calling for a "university shutdown" on Monday to press their demand. The protesting students are being supported by the Punjab political parties, including the AAP, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, and farmers' bodies, including Samyukta Kisan Morcha, SKM (Non-Political), and Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday met the protesting students and urged all political parties and social organisations to put aside their differences and unite in support of the university issue.
Panjab University is a symbol of the state, and this issue is deeply emotional for the people, said Badal, who is a PU alumnus. He called this first such attempt to seize a prestigious institution in Punjab, warning that further actions may follow to alter the character of Chandigarh. He also announced that an SAD-led delegation would soon meet the vice president of India to seek his intervention in this matter.
Calling for a united front to oppose any moves to centralise the university, Badal announced that the SAD-led delegation is planning to meet the Vice-President of India soon, requesting him to intervene in the matter, which already has gained national attention.
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