In a move that has sent shockwaves across Punjab and Chandigarh, the Central Government has dissolved Punjab University’s top decision-making bodies — the Senate and the Syndicate — ending the university’s 59-year-old democratic electoral system.
The Centre has completely rewritten the Punjab University Act, 1947, giving itself and the Vice Chancellor the power to nominate all members of both bodies. The era of elected representation in PU is over — no more Senate or Syndicate elections, no more voice for graduates.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has come out all guns blazing, calling the move “unconstitutional and dictatorial.” He has announced that his government will move court to challenge the decision and has already begun consulting legal experts.
“This is an attack on Punjab’s rights and on democratic values. We will not let this stand,” Mann said in a strongly worded statement.
Central Control Tightened — Graduate Representation Ended
The Senate, once a 90-member elected body, will now shrink to just 31 nominated members. Ordinary graduates — who once had voting rights — have been completely erased from the system. The Syndicate, which managed the university’s key policies, will also consist entirely of nominated members.
Seats have now been reserved for the Chandigarh MP, UT Chief Secretary, and Education Secretary, while the Punjab CM, Punjab-Haryana High Court Chief Justice, and Punjab Education Minister will serve as ex-officio members. The Chancellor’s approval is now mandatory for all appointments, and the tenure of both bodies has been fixed at four years.
Decision Rooted in 2021 Committee Recommendations
The sweeping changes are based on the recommendations of a special committee formed in 2021 by then Vice President and PU Chancellor M. Venkaiah Naidu. The committee, which included the Vice Chancellors of PU Chandigarh, Central University of Punjab (Bathinda), and Guru Nanak Dev University (Amritsar), submitted its report in 2022. The new Chancellor, CP Radhakrishnan, has now approved its implementation.
End of Politics or End of Democracy?
The move is being pitched as a step to “end campus politics” and ensure “merit-based governance.” But critics see it as a clear attempt to tighten the Centre’s grip on one of North India’s most prestigious universities.
For the first time since 1966, Punjab University’s governing structure has been completely dismantled and rebuilt under central command — a step many are calling the biggest political and administrative shake-up in PU’s history.
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