Diljit’s salute, Sukhbir’s support: PU students intensify stir, boycott exams

Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh has thrown his weight behind the ongoing Panjab University (PU) agitation, praising varsity student Harmanpreet Kaur during his Aura Tour 2025 concert in Australia and declaring that “PU belongs to Punjab, and whatever belongs to Punjab should go to Punjab”.

Diljit hailed the students’ defiance after Harmanpreet’s viral confrontation with the Chandigarh Police, saying the girls who showed such courage “deserve a big round of applause”.

PU postpones Nov 18-20 exams

Panjab University on Saturday postponed all examinations scheduled from November 18 to 20 amid the ongoing students’ protest and boycott. PU Controller of Examinations Prof Jagat Bhushan said fresh dates of the examinations would be announced later and advised students to monitor official university channels for updates.

His endorsement came on a day the PU Bachao Morcha’s indefinite dharna entered its 15th day, with students hardening their stand, announcing a boycott of semester exams beginning November 18, and asserting that no classes or exams will be allowed until their demands are met and the Senate election schedule is officially notified.

The escalation follows The Tribune’s November 1 exposé on the Centre’s overhaul of PU’s Senate and Syndicate that set off a political storm, prompting the government to issue four notifications between October 30 and November 7 to withdraw the move.

The agitation continues to gather political momentum. On Saturday evening, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal reached the dharna site and pledged full party support to the protesters. Calling the students’ demands “legitimate, democratic and constitutional”, he urged the Centre and PU authorities to act immediately “to restore normalcy on the campus”.

KEY DEMANDS

Notification of Senate election schedule as per pre-Oct 30 rules.

Withdrawal of FIRs against students.

No governance changes before Senate polls.

Transparent, reservation-compliant recruitment.

He also assailed the BJP-led Centre for attempting the PU overhaul, saying the rollback within a week was an admission of wrongdoing “just like the 2020 farm laws”, over which the SAD had snapped ties with the BJP and MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet. “The SAD stands shoulder to shoulder with the students and will extend every possible help,” he said.

Sukhbir said a SAD-led delegation would meet the Vice President on the issue. Asserting that Punjabis will never allow centralisation of the university, he said his party was committed to foiling attempts to make Chandigarh a permanent UT.

The campus has remained tense since the November 10 uprising, when thousands of students, politicians, academicians, farmers, Nihangs, civil society groups and members of Qaumi Insaaf Morcha breached barricades and stormed the campus despite heavy police deployment, marking the PU’s largest youth mobilisation in recent times.

Meanwhile, interstate friction has sharpened with Punjab, Haryana and Himachal students maintaining sharp positions over PU’s jurisdiction and representation. The PU Bachao Morcha insists the agitation is focused solely on restoring the Senate and democratic governance, not on the ownership debate.

The university, however, remains in a deadlock. The draft Senate election schedule sent by the VC on November 9 is still awaiting the Chancellor’s approval, intensifying anxieties among protesters. Even after meeting the students, the committee formed by the VC this week has failed to resolve the impasse.

“We are forced to protest. Except for the Centre withdrawing the overhaul, none of our demands has been met in 15 days. We will continue the dharna and intensify it if needed,” said student leader Avtar Singh.

Langar continues round the clock, arranged by gurdwaras from Chandigarh and Mohali, as 250-300 students hold the sit-in under police watch.

TIMELINE

Oct 30: PU restructuring notification issued

Nov 1: The Tribune breaks story

Nov 7: Centre withdraws overhaul after four orders

Nov 9: VC sends Senate poll schedule to Chancellor

Nov 10: Massive campus uprising

Nov 15: Dharna enters 15th day; exam boycott announced