NEW DELHI: In a breakthrough for Panjab University’s long-stalled governance process, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan — in his capacity as the university’s chancellor — has approved the schedule for the Senate elections, setting the stage for a full restoration of the institution’s decades-old democratic structure. The communication, issued by the Vice President’s Secretariat to PU Vice Chancellor Renu Wig on Thursday, formally ends months of uncertainty and student-led agitation.The elections for various constituencies of the 91-member Senate, the university’s top decision-making body, will be held between September 7 and October 4, 2026, with polling and result dates notified constituency-wise. The previous Senate’s term ended in October 2024, but fresh elections had remained in limbo for more than a year.The development marks a positive turn after weeks of protests led by the Panjab University Bachao Morcha, which had been pressing the administration to announce the poll schedule. Students had launched their agitation earlier this year in response to the Centre’s October 28 notification proposing sweeping changes to the composition and powers of the Senate and Syndicate. After meeting the students, the ministry of education withdrew the notification on November 7, fully restoring the electoral system. The Vice President’s Secretariat communication confirmed the approval based on PU’s proposal submitted on November 9. According to officials, the detailed election calendar is as follows:Principals and staff of technical and professional colleges: Polling on Sept 7, 2026, results on Sept 9Professors in university teaching departments: Sept 14, results on Sept 16Associate and Assistant Professors in university teaching departments: Sept 14, results on Sept 16Heads and faculty of affiliated arts colleges and registered graduates: Sept 20, results on Sept 22Faculties at PU, Chandigarh: Polling and results on Oct 4, 2026PU officials hailed the approval as an essential step toward strengthening institutional autonomy and restoring normalcy on campus. Student groups welcomed the announcement but said their movement would continue until pending demands — including withdrawal of police cases filed during earlier clashes — are addressed.With the Senate poll process now officially back on track, the university’s governance structure is set for a long-awaited revival, offering a measure of closure to a turbulent phase.
