After a flip-flop, Centre finally withdraws controversial notification on PU

A communique by the Ministry of Education subsequently said that on the basis of recommendation of a high level committee constituted on March 2, 2021 by the Chancellor of the University and “consultations with various stakeholders, the Government of India… issued a notification to modify the constitution and composition of the Senate and Syndicate of the Panjab University. After the issue of the order, various feedback were received from stakeholders like students, teachers, former VCs and the current V-C of the Panjab University. The Ministry of Education also considered the inputs received in meeting with various student organisations. Having regard to the above, it has now been decided by the Ministry of Education that the aforesaid order changing the constitution & composition of the senate and syndicate shall stand rescinded”.

Earlier, the Centre Wednesday first withdrew the notification, which proposed restructuring of the Panjab University’s governing bodies before issuing a fresh order saying it has decided to “put on hold” the implementation of its earlier notification.

The flip-flop came hours after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vowed to challenge the move in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and Opposition Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had opposed the Centre’s move of restructuring the PU’s governing bodies — Senate and Syndicate –via a notification dated October 28. They accused the Centre of attempting to erode the PU’s autonomous and federal character. Even the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had protested against the move.

The October 28 notification sought to amend the Panjab University Act, 1947, reducing the size of the Senate, an apex government body, to 31, doing away with elections for its executive body, the syndicate, and abolishing the graduate constituency of the Senate.