E-Paper
PU okays ₹942-cr budget for next academic year
PU expects to generate ₹185 crore from examination fees in the coming year, compared with ₹174 crore in the previous year’s budget. This is an increase of ₹11 crore, or around 6.4%
Prefer HTon Google
Panjab University (PU) has approved a revenue budget of ₹942 crore for 2027-28, an increase of ₹40 crore, or 4.5%, over the ₹901-crore budget for the ongoing year (2026-27).
The budget was approved at a meeting of the university’s Board of Finance (BoF) chaired by vice-chancellor Prof Meenakshi Goyal on Thursday. PU expects to generate ₹185 crore from examination fees in the coming year, compared with ₹174 crore in the previous year’s budget. This is an increase of ₹11 crore, or around 6.4%. The projected income from partially self-financed courses has also increased from ₹100 crore in 2026-27 to ₹107 crore, a rise of ₹7.20 crore. From registration, certificate and common entrance test (CET), however, it expects to see a decline (see box). The higher revenue projections do not necessarily indicate an increase in student fees, as the figures may also reflect changes in enrolment and other factors.
UGC grant increases by ₹24 crore
Of the total budget, PU expects ₹436 crore from the University Grants Commission (UGC), ₹107 crore from the Punjab government and ₹397 crore through its own revenue sources. These account for approximately 46%, 11% and 42% of the total budget, respectively. Compared with the previous year’s budget, the projected UGC grant has increased by ₹24 crore – from ₹412 crore to ₹436 crore. The Punjab government’s contribution is expected to rise by ₹6 crore, from ₹101 crore to ₹107 crore.
The university’s projected internal income has increased by ₹9.98 crore.
Mental health counselling support expanded
Recognising the importance of students’ psychological and emotional well-being, the university has increased the number of part-time mental health counsellors from two to four. Their monthly remuneration has also been raised by ₹5,000 per person, from ₹20,000 to ₹25,000.
Hostel renovations, sports facilities
The approved budget includes ₹2 crore for renovating washrooms in Boys’ Hostels 3 and 7, ₹3 crore for repairing the roofs of non-residential buildings and ₹2 crore for renovating toilets in residential houses. Another ₹40 lakh has been allocated for electronic targets at the Captain Vikram Batra Shooting Range.
Scribe remuneration revised
The Board of Finance has also approved remuneration for scribes assisting students with disabilities during examinations. For the May 2025, December 2025 and May 2026 end-semester examinations, scribes will receive ₹400 per examination. From the end-semester examinations of 2026 onwards, the rate will increase to ₹500 per examination, subject to a ceiling of ₹5,000 per scribe per semester examination. For mid-term examinations, the approved rate is ₹150 per examination, subject to a ceiling of ₹1,000 per scribe per mid-semester examination.
