Pause on dissolution of Panjab University senate ‘mere eyewash’; will continue protests, say students, leaders

Following backlash and protests from the ruling party, opposition, and students in Punjab, Centre has put restructuring of Panjab University’s senate on hold. However, political leaders and students are calling it just a delay and are seeking full withdrawal.

In a fresh notification, the union government said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1), read with sub-section (2) and (3), of section 72 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 (31 of 1966), the Central Government hereby rescinds the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Education, Department of Higher Education, number S.O. 4933 (E), dated the 28th October, 2025, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), dated the 30th October, 2025."

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has asked the Union government to completely roll back its dissolution of the governing bodies. Meanwhile, students have asserted that they will keep protesting until senate elections are conducted in the university.

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Indian National Congress Punjab’s president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said, “The centre’s U-turn on dissolving Panjab University’s senate and Syndicate is a victory for students, teachers, and Punjab’s united voice. But the failure to announce the Senate election date is a betrayal of that very spirit.”

Protest at PU

“The protest at PU will continue — our struggle isn’t over yet. We will keep fighting to protect the autonomy and federal character of Panjab University from any future interference,” he added.

Member of Parliament (MP) and former president of PU student council, Malvinder Singh Kang termed the move postponement and not permanent withdrawal. “The so-called “withdrawal” of the order to dismantle Panjab University’s Senate and halt its elections is a mere eyewash. Today’s notification does not cancel the move ,it only postpones it. Same agenda. Same attack. Only delayed. Punjab will continue to fight back against every such ulterior move that threatens its institutions, democracy, and future, until it is permanently annulled, withdrawn, or cancelled,” he said.

Reflecting the views of other leaders, youth leader Iqbal Singh Grewal commented, “The order to dismantle the Senate and Syndicate still stands just postponed, not scrapped. Punjab sees through this eyewash. You can delay it, but you can’t dictate it. We’ll fight this theft of our institutions tooth and nail.”