What Triggered the Panjab University Protest That Re‑ignited the University Autonomy Debate?

By late evening, the lawns outside Panjab University were still crowded. Students sat in small circles near the main gate, holding banners that had begun to fade under the winter sun.

A week after the government withdrew its order on restructuring the university's top bodies, the protests have not died down. For many here, it has turned into a matter of pride and a stand for Punjab's share in its oldest institution.

The Order That Lit the Fuse

The protests began on October 28 after the Centre issued a notification citing the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966. The move sought to reduce the strength of the university's Senate from 91 members to 31 and cut down the Syndicate, its executive arm. Students and several political leaders saw this as an attempt to take decision-making power away from the state.

Within hours, the Panjab University Campus Students' Council (PUCSC) called for demonstrations. When the university asked students to sign undertakings not to protest, the situation escalated. The Council began an indefinite hunger strike.

"This was never about a few seats in the Senate," said PUCSC general secretary Abhishek Dagar, who is part of the Students' Organisation of Panjab University. "It is about our right to decide how this university runs."

Politics Moves In

The protest quickly moved beyond the campus walls. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused the BJP of trying to "launch another assault on Punjab's autonomy." The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal called it "a direct attack on federalism" and "the erosion of 143 years of legacy."

Punjab BJP acting president Ashwani Sharma tried to calm the situation. "We took up their concerns with the central leadership. I had specifically gone to Delhi for this," he said. "We should think of Punjab's development and not stoke emotions. Punjab has had enough turmoil in the past. The environment must be peaceful here now."

As the statements flew, the campus turned into a gathering point for political leaders, student groups, and ordinary residents of Chandigarh who arrived to show solidarity.

When Farmers Joined the Protest

On November 4, farmers from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) entered the city on tractors to support the students. At the Mohali-Chandigarh border, barricades were broken and clashes erupted.

"The students' protest has given a fresh impetus to our fight for Punjab's rights while the political leadership has forgotten people's issues. We will fight for Punjab's waters, Chandigarh and now autonomy," said SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal.

The SKM has since announced a larger rally in Chandigarh on November 26.

Centre Pulls Back but Tensions Remain

Under growing pressure, the Centre first said on November 5 that it was withdrawing the controversial notification. Minutes later, it issued another order saying the earlier decision was only "on hold." The protests grew stronger. Two days later, on November 7, the order was fully withdrawn.

Even after the reversal, students are refusing to leave the protest site. Their new demand is the long-delayed Senate election, which has not been held since October last year.

Students for Society president Sandeep Kumar said, "If the Centre continues its delaying tactics rather than accepting our demands, we will not allow the university, including the administration and examination blocks, to function normally. We hope the Centre and university authorities will fulfil our demands at the earliest."

A 143-Year Legacy Under Watch

Founded in 1882, Panjab University has long been considered a shared symbol of Punjab's academic and cultural identity. Its Senate includes the Chancellor, who is the Vice President of India, the Vice-Chancellor, and ex officio members such as the Chief Minister and Education Minister of Punjab, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and senior officials of Chandigarh and Punjab. The Syndicate, headed by the Vice-Chancellor, includes faculty and government representatives.

The lawns outside the administrative block are quieter now, but students say they are not ready to step back. "We've seen orders come and go," said a postgraduate student sitting with a notebook on her lap. "This is about who gets to decide what Panjab University stands for."