27-day PU dharna ends in ‘fateh’

Twenty-seven days after students began an unrelenting agitation that shook Panjab University and triggered ripples across Punjab and Chandigarh, the lawns outside the Vice Chancellor’s office finally fell silent today.

The PU Bachao Morcha, which had spearheaded the sustained sit-in demanding a rollback of the contentious PU overhaul and notification of Senate elections under the pre-October 30 structure, called off its indefinite protest last night with a Fateh March and celebratory rally. By this morning, students were back in classrooms, resuming lectures, labs and ongoing semester examinations.

The movement, rooted in the storm unleashed on November 1 when The Tribune broke the PU overhaul story, had rapidly escalated into a region-wide flashpoint. The revelation triggered a fierce political firestorm, compelling the Centre into a dramatic reversal within a week through four notifications issued between October 30 and November 7. But the rollback failed to calm the campus. For nearly a month, students pressed on, imposing two shutdowns and unleashing an unprecedented youth mobilisation on November 10 to demand that Senate polls — pending since October 2024 — be notified strictly under the restored democratic structure. That demand was finally met late on November 27, when Vice-President and PU Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan approved the poll schedule sent by Vice Chancellor Prof Renu Vig on November 9.

Morcha coordinator Avtar Singh told The Tribune that the stir was withdrawn only after the VC visited the protest site, handed over the official communication conveying the Chancellor’s approval and agreed to provide a written resolution of the Morcha’s pending demands. “What we achieved is historic. This was a collective victory of students, teachers, and democratic forces of Punjab. The written charter has addressed all major concerns, and we concluded the protest with responsibility and unity,” he said.

A follow-up meeting between Morcha representatives and the PU administration took place this afternoon, where the VC formally handed over the promised written resolution charter. The document records consensus on six issues: scrapping of the Vetting Committee; placing all PUCSC SOPs on hold pending consultations; forwarding FIR withdrawal requests to the competent authority; withdrawal of the civil suit against student organisations; marking the Haryana affiliation issue to the appropriate authority; and acknowledgment of the Morcha’s stand against punitive action on faculty involved in last year’s protests.

A resounding victory for Punjab: Mann

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann welcomed the development, calling the Senate election approval a “resounding victory for Punjab” and saying that PU was not merely a university but “the heritage of Punjab”. He praised students and faculty for withstanding immense pressure and standing firm during the month-long movement.

Democracy wins: Cong

Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring called it a “victory of students and victory of democracy”, asserting that the Centre’s attempt to dismantle the Senate had been defeated just as its earlier moves had faltered before farmers’ resistance.

The written resolution

Vetting committee abolished: The controversial committee stands scrapped. The DSW will now collect inputs from the Students’ Council and student organisations before any SOP-related changes are proposed.

Haryana college affiliation issue: The matter has been formally marked to the appropriate authority. The Morcha has reiterated its stand that the committee must be scrapped.

PUCSC SOPs put on hold: All SOPs related to the PU Campus Students’ Council have been kept in abeyance. Any future SOPs will be drafted only after incorporating feedback from student bodies.

Civil suit to be withdrawn: The university has agreed to withdraw the civil suit against student organisations.

FIR relief for students: Concerned students must submit individual written requests with relevant FIR details. PU will forward these to the competent authority for appropriate legal action. The VC has approved this process.

Protection for faculty members: The Morcha reiterated that no punitive action should be taken against professors who took part in last year’s Senate protests. The university acknowledged the concern and noted the recommendation.