Chandigarh: Stalemate over Morcha’s meeting venue continues

Proposed Alumni Guest House for meet was rejected by the morcha arguing that it cannot accommodate expected footfall of nearly 120

The standoff between Panjab University (PU) authorities and the Panjab University Bachao Morcha continued on Tuesday, as leaders failed to finalise a venue for their planned November 20 meeting.

Student Front leader Raman said that the responsibility for finding a venue would now fall on the students if the administration failed to meet their demands. (HT File)

A round of talks held earlier between the university’s constituted committee of five professors and student representatives of the morcha ended without consensus, further deepening the impasse.

According to the committee member Vishal Sharma from the Department of Forensic Science, the university had offered available options, but none aligned with the morcha’s demand for a round-table setting. “We tried to convince the morcha members that no accommodation is available as per their request and all such venues are pre-booked. The arrangement they want simply isn’t possible right now,” Sharma said.

The alternative venue proposed by the authorities – the Alumni Guest House in South Campus – has been rejected by student leaders, who argue it cannot accommodate the expected footfall of nearly 120 attendees.

Student Front leader Raman said that the responsibility for finding a venue would now fall on the students if the administration failed to meet their demands. “If the authorities can’t provide us what we asked for, we’ll manage the arrangements ourselves,” he added.

Another Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) leader added that they were coordinating with various kisan, student, and social organisations to ensure only two to three representatives from each group attend the meeting to prevent overcrowding. The morcha is aiming to hold the meeting at 1 pm on November 20, even as the venue remains undecided.

Students uncertain as PU withholds new exam dates

Meanwhile, confusion continued over the postponement of end-semester examinations. Earlier, PU had deferred exams scheduled for November 18, 19 and 20, citing the morcha’s call to block examinations unless the long pending Senate election schedule is announced.

Across PU and affiliated colleges, 6,694 morning and 6,991 evening students were slated to appear on November 18; 5,078 morning and 1,336 evening on November 19; and 258 morning and 1,104 evening on November 20.

With revised dates yet to be announced, students remain anxious. The controller of examinations confirmed that the postponed papers would be shifted to the end of the exam cycle. Students said they were “not entirely unhappy” about a short delay, but the possibility of exams stretching into January was “stressful and far from ideal.”