Panjab University delays exams as student protest over Senate polls intensifies

Panjab University has delayed all examinations scheduled from Nov 18 to 20 as student demonstrations over the stalled Senate elections grow more intense.

Controller of Examinations Jagat Bhushan confirmed the postponement and said the revised timetable would be issued later.

Students were told to monitor official university platforms for further updates.

The decision followed warnings from student groups that they would boycott or interrupt the exams if the university did not release the long-pending Senate election dates.

The polls have been overdue for more than a year, fueling widespread dissatisfaction on campus.

A meeting between student representatives and the vice chancellor on Nov 12 resulted in assurances that the election schedule was awaiting the chancellor’s approval and would soon be finalized.

Even so, Panjab University Campus Students Council vice president Ashmeet Singh said the protest would continue until the dates were publicly announced.

Students have been gathering near the vice chancellor’s office under the banner of Panjab University Bachao Morcha.

The agitation began after the central government issued an October notification proposing changes to the university’s Senate and Syndicate.

Students insisted on resolving the original issue of the delayed elections, even after the Ministry of Education withdrew the directive on Nov 7.

Various political organizations and farmers’ groups, including AAP, the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), have backed the students’ campaign.

During a visit to the protest site, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal called for collective action to protect the university.

“This is the first attempt to seize a prestigious institution in Punjab, and we must send a strong message that Punjabis will not allow the university to be taken away,” he said.

Badal said his party would soon take up the matter with the Vice President of India in hopes of a resolution.

The protests, combined with the exam delays, reflect the depth of concern among students and supporters as the university works to manage a situation that continues to escalate.