3 varsities told to maintain uniform admission, vacation and exam calendars

The Punjab Government has directed the three state universities to ensure uniformity in admission, vacation and examination schedules.

This has been conveyed by the Deputy Director, Higher Education, to College Development Councils of Panjab University, Chandigarh; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; and Punjabi University, Patiala. In its directions, the Deputy Director said the Directorate of Higher Education, Punjab, was in the process of preparing a mechanism for centralised admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses through the government’s admission portal for the academic session 2026-27. For this, the universities have been asked to ensure uniform admission, public holiday, vacation and examination calendars.

Earlier, the department had asked the three universities to have a uniform academic calendar and a uniform syllabus. Though the directorate’s letter states the move was for the “benefit of students”, the Vice-Chancellors of the GNDU and Punjabi University said there was a need to deliberate upon the directions.

“The uniform syllabus to some extent could be made possible but not entirely. There are so many aspects and intricacies involved in the exercise. Punjabi University has around 265 affiliated colleges, with over two lakh students. The university syndicate has to deliberate upon it and take a call,” said Dr Jagdeep Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Punjabi University, Patiala.

The Department of Higher Education has already made it mandatory for all colleges, aided, unaided or affiliated, to ensure admissions through the common admission portal. “The university sticks to the provisions and instructions given by the Directorate of Higher Education on centralised admissions. Our examination and academic calendars are decided by the syndicate. As for the uniformity, the decision has also to come from the syndicate,” said GNDU VC Prof Karamjeet Singh.

Dr Palvinder Singh, Dean Academic Affairs, GNDU, said uniformity in exam schedules and vacations might be for students’ welfare. “It would make it easy for students to transfer mid-session or plan their academic schedule,” he said.