The North News
Chandigarh, November 10
Tensions soared across Panjab University on Sunday as hundreds of students, joined by supporters from across Punjab, broke through police barricades and stormed the campus in protest against the delay in announcing Senate election dates.
What began as a peaceful sit-in at the university’s Gate No. 2 soon turned volatile when police detained several demonstrators. Enraged students forced their way past barricades, clashing with officers as they advanced toward the main entrance near PGI. Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes of shouting, pushing, and scuffles, with students demanding that the university administration immediately release the schedule for the election of 91 Senate members.
To contain the unrest, authorities deployed more than 2,000 police personnel across Chandigarh and set up 12 security checkpoints. Entry into the campus has been restricted to staff and visitors carrying valid identification. Senior police officials, including SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, arrived on the scene as tempers flared.
In the wake of the confrontation, the university announced a two-day shutdown on November 10 and 11. The protesting students, backed by several farmer organisations and political groups, have vowed to continue their agitation until election dates are formally declared.
The confrontation follows a controversial decision by the central government on October 28 to dissolve Panjab University’s 59-year-old Senate and Syndicate — a move widely criticised across the political spectrum.
The Union Ministry of Education has withdrawn its earlier notification to restructure the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University, effectively restoring the institution’s previous governance framework. In a fresh notification issued under Section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the Centre formally rescinded the order dated November 4, which had proposed governance reforms but deferred their implementation to a future date. With the latest withdrawal, the 143-year-old university’s traditional administrative structure — comprising its Senate and Syndicate — stands reinstated.
