Khalsa University to focus on professional courses
After seven years of legal battle, the Khalsa College Governing Council (KCGC) is reviving Khalsa University on the historic Khalsa College campus in Amritsar. The Supreme Court recently reinstated the Khalsa University Act, 2016, declaring the Khalsa University (Repeal) Act, 2017, unconstitutional. KCGC honorary secretary Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina confirmed that the university would be operational by the 2025-2026 academic session.
Khalsa University, although based on the same premises as the historic Khalsa College, will be an independent entity. Initially, it will utilise the existing infrastructure of Khalsa College of Pharmacy, Veterinary and Animal Sciences, and Law. New buildings are also planned for future expansion. The historic main building of Khalsa College, however, will remain a separate institution.
Instead of offering traditional courses, the university will focus on professional fields such as civil aviation, tourism, veterinary science, Sikh history, nursing, law, library science, artificial intelligence, and other IT-related disciplines. The management is also working on forging collaborations with other global universities for academic exchanges.
The Khalsa University, established in 2016 under the Khalsa College Charitable Society (KCCS), faced setbacks when the Punjab Government under Capt Amarinder Singh repealed the Act in 2017, citing concerns about preserving the heritage of Khalsa College. Admissions had already started when this revocation halted the university’s operations.
The KCGC’s appeal against the repeal was rejected by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, but the Supreme Court has now provided relief, restoring the 2016 Act. This decision paves the way for Khalsa University’s long-awaited revival, marking a new chapter in higher education for the region.
