Chandigarh – In a brazen move to undermine the federal structure and erode the autonomous character of Punjab University, the BJP-led Central Government has issued a notification on October 28, 2025, imposing sweeping amendments to the Punjab University Act, 1947. Congress MLA and vocal advocate for higher education autonomy, Sukhpal Khaira, condemned the order as a “calculated conspiracy” to centralize control over the prestigious institution, stripping it of its independent ethos and handing reins to Delhi’s bureaucratic overlords.
The notification, issued by the Ministry of Education under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, drastically alters the composition of key university bodies, including Ordinary Fellows, the Syndicate, and ex-officio positions. What was once a democratically elected and regionally representative structure is now being flooded with central government nominees and ex-officio members, including the Secretary, Higher Education, Government of India, and representatives from Chandigarh Administration. This not only dilutes the voice of Punjab’s educators, alumni, and elected legislators but also paves the way for ideological interference in academic decisions.
“This is nothing short of a colonial era takeover of Punjab’s intellectual nerve center,” said Sukhpal Khaira, MLA from Bholath and former Leader of Opposition.
The BJP government, in its arrogance, is treating Punjab University as a mere extension of its Nagpur headquarters. By substituting elected fellows with handpicked central bureaucrats and imposing a bloated Syndicate stacked with Delhi’s yes men, they are strangling the university’s autonomy. This notification mocks the spirit of federalism enshrined in our Constitution and betrays Punjab’s sons and daughters who built this institution brick by brick.”
Khaira highlighted specific provisions in the notification that expose the central overreach:
• Section 13 Amendments: The number of Ordinary Fellows is capped at 24, with increased nominations by the Chancellor (including central figures) and reduced elected representation from teaching staff and affiliated colleges. Six fellows are now to be elected by Punjab Legislative Assembly members nominated by the Speaker yet another layer of political meddling.
• Syndicate Overhaul (Sections 19-20): The executive body now includes ex-officio central appointees like the Secretary, Higher Education, GoI, and Directors of Public Instructions from Punjab and Chandigarh. Ten members nominated by the Vice-Chancellor on a “seniority basis” from Deans, Professors, and college principals further entrenches elite control, sidelining grassroots academic voices.
• Ex-Officio Fellows Schedule: Adding high-ranking central officials such as the Education Minister of Punjab (under central oversight) and Parliament Member from Chandigarh ensures Delhi’s veto power over university governance.
In a scathing rebuke,
Khaira also condemned the utter silence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on this vital issue, despite the state government bearing 60% of the university’s annual expenses. “While Punjab’s hard earned taxpayer money funds the lion’s share of Panjab University’s budget, the CM remains a mute spectator as the Centre plunders its autonomy. This betrayal of Punjab’s financial stake and academic legacy exposes the AAP government’s spineless surrender to BJP’s bulldozer politics,” Khaira charged.
“These changes are not reforms; they are a recipe for suffocation,” Khaira added. “Punjab University has thrived for decades as a beacon of regional pride and academic freedom. Today, under the BJP’s jackboot, it risks becoming a puppet in the hands of RSS ideologues, where curriculum, appointments, and policies will bow to New Delhi’s whims. We will not allow this assault on our educational sovereignty.”
Khaira called upon students, faculty, alumni, and the people of Punjab to unite against this “anti-federal diktat.” He announced plans for statewide protests, legal challenges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and a special session in the Punjab Legislative Assembly to demand immediate revocation of the notification. “The Congress Party stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Punjab’s youth. We will fight this tooth and nail until the university’s autonomy is restored,” he vowed.