PU row far from over: Centre’s pause on overhaul calms tempers for now

Despite the Centre’s latest move on Panjab University (PU), the controversy remains far from settled. The government’s decision to put the PU overhaul on hold has calmed tempers for now, but uncertainty looms over when, or whether, the new structure will actually take effect.

As news spread that the government had put the PU overhaul on hold, the protesting students erupted in celebration, calling it their second consecutive victory within 24 hours — coming right after the university withdrew the controversial “no-protest” affidavit clause on Monday.

The Tribune was the first to break the story on the PU overhaul on Saturday, setting off a political storm across Punjab and Chandigarh. The Centre’s twin notifications, issued late on Tuesday, first rescinded the October 30 order and then issued another stating that “the Punjab University Act, 1947 (East Punjab Act 7 of 1947), shall have effect from the date, as appointed by the Central Government, subject to the same modifications.” The move effectively defers implementation but keeps the controversial reforms alive.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led the charge, accusing the BJP-led Centre of repeatedly “attacking Punjab’s rights.” Declaring PU as “Punjab’s legacy”, Mann said the state government had consulted top constitutional lawyers and would take the matter to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, if needed. “We will fight this in court and, if required, bring it to the Vidhan Sabha. The Centre’s attempt to rob Punjab of its rights will not stand,” he said.

AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang called the new notification “deceptive,” claiming the Centre had merely reissued the same order under another date. “This is nothing but a mockery and a deliberate attempt to test the spirit of Punjabis,” he told The Tribune, asserting that Punjabis “will never bow before the Centre’s bullying or dictatorship.”

In a show of solidarity, Kang, noted Punjabi singer Jasbir Jassi and a Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) delegation, led by Paramhans Singh Romana, joined students on the campus, celebrating the partial rollback and vowing to keep up the fight. Senior AAP leader Baltej Pannu credited the retreat to “Punjab’s united stand” and “students’ unrelenting determination.”

Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari said the Centre should “completely rescind the notification and start de novo consultations with all stakeholders,” asserting that any change to the Panjab University Act, 1947, must come through the Punjab Assembly, not executive orders under the Reorganisation Act.

Former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal called the Centre’s move “meaningless optics”. “Either the notification should have been fully withdrawn or it serves no purpose,” he said, noting that the overhaul was already on hold since no new structure had been constituted.

Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring hailed the pause as “a victory for students, teachers and Punjab’s united voice,” but cautioned that the fight was not over. “Failure to announce the Senate election date is a betrayal of the same spirit. Our struggle to protect the university’s autonomy will continue,” he said.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said the Centre had been “forced to withdraw its arbitrary notification” by Punjab’s united stand. “This rollback is more than administrative — it’s a victory for student democracy and Punjab’s federal rights,” he said.

A SAD leader, Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, described the Centre’s action as “dictatorial and unconstitutional,” saying that the government was compelled to retreat in the face of mass resistance. He urged the Centre to “stop its anti-Punjab designs” and demanded that “justice be done by transferring Chandigarh to Punjab as promised during reorganisation.”

Even as politicians traded statements, the PU campus erupted in celebrations. Students burst crackers, waved flags and distributed sweets. “This is our victory, but we won’t let our guard down,” said a student leader. “They’ve paused it for now — so we’ll keep fighting until it’s scrapped.”