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PU fest begins today as nod for star night awaited
The Agaaz fest at Panjab University (PU) has faced significant delays and administrative hurdles as of late March 2026. While originally scheduled to begin earlier, the event has been mired in uncertainty due to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that initially banned “star nights” on campus.
Panjab University’s “Agaaz” fest, organised by PUCSC general secretary Abhishek Dagar, is set to begin on Tuesday amid lingering uncertainty over its star night, with final clearances from the UT administration still pending. The fest, originally slated to begin Monday, saw no ground activity through the day. Posters circulating on social media reflected the ambiguity, with dates revised to show March 24 as the opening day.
The organisers are yet to announce the star night schedule.
University security chief Vikram Singh said the holiday observed on account of Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom anniversary had further delayed the confirmation. “We don’t know whether or not the permission has been granted as the university offices remain shut,” he said.
Organisers of the fest confirmed that preparations are otherwise in place, guests finalised and the star night featuring a prominent Haryanvi singer is locked in, but anxiety over pending clearances from the UT administration persists.
The uncertainty is not unfamiliar. Just a week ago, the PUCSC president’s fest went through a nearly identical last-minute scramble, with UT police officials flagging that PU was unprepared for a star night. The university’s own chief security team had written to the vice-chancellor opposing it before the event eventually went ahead.
The development also comes against the backdrop of a turbulent week for the student council as a SOPU-linked leader, Jashan Jawanda, who had backed Abhishek Dagar in the 2025-26 PUCSC elections and was allegedly involved in preparations for the fest, survived a murder bid recently. Jawanda remains absconding. General secretary Abhishek Dagar and Dean of Student Welfare Yogesh Rawal remained unavailable for comment.
