In a significant development marking the end of a 26-day-long student agitation, Panjab University (PU) has officially released the schedule for its much-delayed Senate elections. This decision, approved by the Chancellor, comes after intense protests by students who had been demanding the restoration of the university's democratic body.
The previous Senate's term had expired on October 31, 2024, creating a year-long governance vacuum where major decisions were handled by committees instead of an elected house. This deadlock became the central catalyst for the sustained protest led by the Panjab University Bachao Morcha (PUBM).
A Hard-Won Victory for Student Protesters
As the announcement reached the campus, it was met with celebratory slogans like "Punjab, Punjabi, Punjabiyat Zindabad" and "Mithi dhun rabab di, Panjab University Panjab di". Members of the PUBM, who had endured barricades, night-long sit-ins, and repeated stand-offs with authorities, described the release of the election schedule as a milestone achievement.
They asserted that this outcome was "dragged out of the administration through relentless pressure" after 26 days of one of the most sustained campus protests in recent years.
The Detailed Senate Election Schedule
With the Chancellor's approval, the university has laid out a comprehensive timeline for the 2026 Senate polls. The elections will be conducted constituency-wise over the following dates:
- September 7–9, 2026: Principals and staff of technical and professional colleges
- September 14–16, 2026: Professors, associate professors, and assistant professors of PU teaching departments
- September 20–22, 2026: Heads and faculty of affiliated arts colleges and the registered graduates’ constituency
- October 4, 2026: Various faculties on the PU campus
A total of 53 seats will be filled across seven constituencies. The breakdown includes 15 seats for registered graduates, 4 for teaching departments, 6 for technical and professional colleges, and 16 for affiliated arts colleges. An additional 6 representatives will be elected from various faculties.
The newly elected Senate will serve a four-year term, finally restoring a full statutory body to oversee crucial functions like budget approvals, recruitment, affiliation policies, and long-term academic planning.
Protest to Continue Despite Breakthrough
While students are celebrating this as a historic victory, the PUBM has made it clear that their agitation is not over. The Morcha has stated that the protests will continue until their three remaining demands are met in a scheduled meeting with the university administration.
These outstanding demands are:
- The withdrawal of FIRs against 14 students who were booked during last year's Senate election protest.
- The scrapping of new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that students claim turn the campus into a heavily monitored space and curb democratic activities.
- The dissolution of the committee that is examining the re-affiliation of Haryana colleges.
"This is a major breakthrough, but our struggle ends only when every demand is met," stated Ashmeet Singh, vice-president of the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council. He emphasized that the fight is only half-won, pointing to ongoing concerns about central government interference.
Another prominent protester, Raman, called the development a historic moment for Punjab and its students. "This is the second time Punjab has sent a message. Five years ago, it was the farmers. Now it is the students," he said, framing the victory within a larger context of regional assertion.
The 26-Day Journey of Agitation
The PUBM agitation ignited in early November, triggered by a central government notification that dissolved the Senate and Syndicate on Punjab Formation Day. The protest reached a critical point on November 10 when hundreds of students broke through Gate Number 1, demanding not just elections but also asserting PU's institutional and cultural connection to Punjab.
Tensions escalated further around November 26 due to a last-minute holiday declaration and attempts to shift examinations, which drew large gatherings. Over the 26 days, the movement gained unusual political solidarity, receiving support from leaders across party lines, including Akali leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Congress CM Charanjit Singh Channi, and BJP's Sanjay Tandon.
The agitation also received backing from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, labour organisations, and the Democratic Teachers’ Front, turning it into a broad-based movement for the preservation of the university's character and democratic rights.
