Senate poll restored, PU must rebuild trust

PANJAB University can finally breathe again. With Vice-President and Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan approving the long-awaited schedule for Senate elections — to be held between September 7 and October 4, 2026 — a year-long constitutional limbo has come to an end. For an institution that has prided itself on autonomy and participatory governance for over a century, the silence created by an expired Senate was more than an administrative gap; it was an existential threat. That vacuum widened last month when the Centre sought to restructure the Senate by drastically reducing elected representation and enhancing the role of nominated and ex-officio members. The move, perceived as an assault on the university’s democratic spirit, triggered an unprecedented mobilisation. Students, teachers, alumni and political and civil society groups united under the banner of the Panjab University Bachao Morcha, staging 26 days of dharnas, night-long vigils, marches and even clashing with security forces. Their message was unmistakable: governance in a public university cannot be redesigned without the consent of its community.The Chancellor’s approval marks a significant victory for this collective resolve. It restores, at least procedurally, PU’s democratic heartbeat. But the moment should not be mistaken for closure. Key concerns raised by protesters — withdrawal of FIRs, rollback of restrictive SOPs on campus gatherings and clarity on re-affiliation processes — remain unresolved. Failing to address these would risk reducing this win to symbolic appeasement.Going forward, PU must commit to transparent, timely polls; ensure a fair playing field; and rebuild trust that has been frayed by the confrontation. It must embrace the principle that universities thrive not by Central diktat but by nurturing debate, dissent and shared stewardship. Now that the Senate is back on track, the real test begins: can PU transform this hard-won moment into lasting, accountable governance?

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