The united front of political outfits of students, Punjabi University Teachers’ Union (PUTA), pensioners’ unions, non-teaching staff and other bodies organised an indefinite ‘Punjabi University Bachao Morcha’ in the campus of Punjabi University in Patiala by shutting one side of the main gate in the morning on Monday.
As Punjab government had slashed annual grant of the university from ₹200 crore to ₹164 crore, the united front of protestors has started an indefinite protest in which they are demanding an increase in the allocation of annual grant for the university.
As the united front is planning to expand the ‘Punjabi University Bachao Morcha’ across affiliated colleges, constituent colleges, neighbourhood campuses and regional centres of the university with the help of teachers and different bodies, they have also started classroom canvassing for “making the students aware about the severity of funding issue in the university.”
The student bodies claimed that they are also working on a “leaflet that will describe the deteriorating financial health of the university from 1991 to 2022,” adding that “it will be released soon.”
They are also going to ask for donations from the students to run the indefinite morcha. One of the student leaders, said, “We will do classroom canvassing and reach out to students in hostels and ask for donations.”
{{/usCountry}}They are also going to ask for donations from the students to run the indefinite morcha. One of the student leaders, said, “We will do classroom canvassing and reach out to students in hostels and ask for donations.”
{{/usCountry}}Neha Rai, a research scholar from the department of economics, said, “The financial condition of the university is quite worrying. In eight years, eight professors from the economics department have retired but not a single recruitment has been made. Professor Arvind, vice- chancellor of the university had previously said, “The government should increase the budget of the university from ₹ 164 crore to ₹360 crore.” The government has assured the vice-chancellor of increasing the annual grant, but the protestors are not convinced.