Eyeing Panjab University poll, organisations ‘woo’ students through protests

Akashdeep Virk

Chandigarh, July 22

With the Panjab University student council election likely to be held in early September, student organisations are leaving no stone unturned to garner support of students over various issues. With admissions taking place for various courses in the university, it becomes even more crucial to attract fresh faces towards burning issues on the campus.

The post-matric scholarship (PMS) beneficiary students’ protest, which has been going on since July 8 outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office here, saw participation of almost all students’ organisations today. A group of beneficiary students under the aegis of the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) had started the protest against the university’s direction to charge fee from SC/ST students enrolled under the PMS even as they await the release of grant by the state government. The university authorities had issued a notice on October 10, 2023, according to which SC students of the state covered under the PMS were being asked to deposit fee.

The protest ended today after the university authorities gave in writing that the SC students covered under the PMS won’t be asked for fee upfront and they would submit an undertaking that they would deposit fee within 10 days of receiving the scholarship amount in their bank account.

On the other side of the university campus, outside the administration building, the students of USO and SOI have been protesting over the university’s decision to only consider reconduct of exams of final semester students on the basis of medical grounds. A university official said final semester students who are not sitting for exams already have an option to reappear for exams later.

Commenting on the issue, Dean, Students’ Welfare, Amit Chauhan said, “We have been reiterating that the students with genuine medical issue can come up to us and we will form a committee to review the claim and act on it accordingly.”

A few days back, protests had erupted after the PU authorities had hiked the mess diet rate from Rs 39 to Rs 46.25 and special diet price from Rs 44 to Rs 51. The student organisations had submitted a memorandum to the VC demanding a rollback. On July 15, after three rounds of talks between students’ organisations and authorities, the prices were reduced to Rs 41 for normal diet and Rs 47 of special diet.

“The council elections are approaching and it is time for every party to make its presence felt. Moreover, with new admissions, it becomes even more important. Through protests, the students also get apprised of the issues and their rights,” said a university campus youth leader, requesting anonymity.