PU students announce boycott of all upcoming exams amid ongoing campus unrest

PTC Web Desk: Tensions at Panjab University, Chandigarh, have reached a boiling point as student organisations intensified their agitation and announced a complete boycott of all forthcoming examinations. The protest stems from mounting frustration over the continued ambiguity regarding the long-delayed Senate elections. Student leaders are expected to address the media later this afternoon, where they plan to outline their strategy and future course of action.

Student groups have made it clear that no academic or administrative activity will resume until the university formally declares the Senate election schedule. Their stance remains unchanged even after the Punjab and Haryana High Court pulled them up, urging the student community to return to classes for at least seven days before the court could intervene further.

As per the university’s academic calendar, departmental semester exams are slated to begin around November 18, 2025, with several date sheets already issued. However, the atmosphere on campus grew volatile soon after discussions around the Senate elections resurfaced, triggering widespread mobilisation by student unions.

Amid the deepening standoff, leaders of multiple student organisations have convened a joint meeting on November 20 to decide on their next steps and to unify their approach going forward.

The matter escalated to the Punjab and Haryana High Court when former Senator Harpreet Singh Dua filed a petition challenging the delay in the Senate polls. During the recent hearing, the division bench raised pointed concerns, questioning whether the university intended to operate as an academic institution or a political battleground. The court stressed that academic priorities cannot be overshadowed by electoral disputes and reaffirmed that the university’s core role is to impart education.

The ongoing conflict traces back to the Central Government’s October 28 notification dissolving the University Senate and Syndicate ,  a decision that triggered widespread outrage and was subsequently withdrawn. Despite the rollback, student unions are now demanding a written, time-bound assurance for conducting Senate elections. The administration has issued verbal assurances, but students remain unconvinced and continue to escalate their protest.