PU curbs on faculty-media engagement

Panjab University (PU) has released new guidelines restricting faculty members’ engagement with the media. The directive, approved by the Vice-Chancellor, requires all employees to strictly adhere to the university service and conduct rules, particularly regarding media participation.

The new guidelines focus on Rule 4 of the university code, which prohibits faculty from engaging in public media activities, such as writing for newspapers, participating in radio broadcasts, or managing publications, without prior approval of the university authorities. This includes contributing articles, letters or even writing books and pamphlets, unless they are for purely literary or scientific purposes. Faculty must seek formal permission before engaging in any media-related work, even if it aligns with their professional duties.

While some have raised concerns over the restrictions, PU officials said the intent of the new rules was to ensure that faculty focused on their academic responsibilities and avoid potential conflicts of interest.

This “gag order” is aimed to balance academic freedom with institutional decorum, sparking a debate over the limits of freedom of expression among academics.