Panjab University Students Caned as CM Mann Addresses Event on Campus

On 13 Nov, the AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney organized the Punjab Vision 2047 conclave at Panjab University (PU). Students of the university, under the banner Panjab University Bachao Morcha (Save Panjab University) were taking out a march on the campus. They had reached near the Law Auditorium where Panjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann was addressing the event. The students wanted to question the CM over the delay in University Senate elections. The Chandigarh Police prevented the students from approaching the venue and even caned them to disperse them. Like a few other universities in India, PU has a Senate that is responsible for the management and superintendence of the university’s affairs, concerns, and property. According to university rules, the notification for Senate elections must be issued at least 240 days prior to the polling, but no such notification has been released in 2024. By not conducting elections to the Senate, the students allege, the authorities want to nominate members who could compromise PU’s interests. Students say this is part of the BJP-led Union govt.’s agenda to rob Union Territory Chandigarh of its rights. The PU Chancellor is the Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankar. Meanwhile, with the Canadian government announcing a slew of curbs aimed at reducing the intake of international students, International English Language Testing System (IELTS) institutes in Panjab which saw huge growth in the last decade are witnessing a significant decline in student numbers, with many centers shutting down. IELTS exam marks determine the quality of colleges where they get admission.