Manish Tewari seeks halt to PU restructuring
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Elderly Congress leader and Member of Parliament Manish Tewari has prompted Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar to intermediate and withdraw the proposed restructuring plan for Panjab University. Tewari, who represents the Anandpur Sahib constituency in Punjab, expressed deep concern over the move, saying it threatens the university’s independent status and the major relationship it shares with the state of Punjab.
During his meeting with the vice president in New Delhi, Tewari submitted a detailed memorandum outlining the legal, artistic, and literal significance of Panjab University. He stated that any attempt to alter the university’s structure or governance model without consulting the Punjab government or the university’s stakeholders would be unconstitutional and mischievous to the institution’s heritage. The Congress MP emphasized that the offer to restructure or integrate Panjab University into a central university system is a matter of grave concern for the people of Punjab, as it undermines the civil principles of governance and the unique heritage of the institution.
Panjab University, established in 1947 after the partition of India, has been a symbol of Punjab’s academic excellence and artistic identity. Firstly located in Lahore, the university was reconstituted and dislocated to Chandigarh after Independence to serve the educational requirements of the state. Over the decades, it has surfaced as one of India’s premier institutions of advanced literacy, maintaining an independent status that allows it to govern its academic and executive affairs singly. The Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 easily defined the relationship between the central and state governments in matters relating to the university, ensuring that its character remained nearly tied to the state.
Tewari argued that the central government’s reported efforts to bring Panjab University completely under the control of the Union government would violate this literal arrangement. He noted that this issue isn’t simply executive but deeply political and emotional for Punjab’s people. According to him, Panjab University represents the intellectual and artistic spirit of Punjab, and any attempt to change its governance structure could alienate the state’s academic community and erode indigenous pride.
The Congress MP advised that converting Panjab University into a central university would mean the dilution of the state’s part in its functioning, including the appointment of its vice-chancellor, governing bodies, and fiscal oversight. This, he said, could have long-term counteraccusations for the university’s autonomy and the representation of Punjabi language, literature, and culture in its class. Tewari also expressed that restructuring could alter the being share system, which ensures representation for scholars from Punjab, and lead to a shift in the institution’s precedences down from indigenous requirements.
He prompted the vice president, who also serves as the chancellor of Panjab University, to guard the university’s being frame and ensure that the center doesn’t move ahead with any plan that could weaken its indigenous and artistic relation with the state. Tewari’s memorandum cited precedents and clauses from the Punjab Reorganisation Act and the Panjab University Act to support his demand. He claimed that any changes to the university’s structure must involve discussion with the state government, the university chamber, and other stakeholders, including faculty and alumni.
The issue of Panjab University’s restructuring has been a contentious topicseveral times. Periodic conversations about granting it central university status have sparked demurrers from scholars, preceptors, and political leaders in Punjab. The university community has constantly raised fears that such a move would erode its fiscal independence and affect indigenous representation. Consecutive Punjab governments, regardless of political cooperation, have opposed centralization efforts, averring that the university’s unique identity and governance model must be saved.
Tewari’s intervention comes amid renewed conversations between the Centre and colorful educational bodies about restructuring aged universities to align with the National Education Policy (NEP). While the NEP aims to promote invariant norms across advanced education institutions, critics argue that a one-size-fits-all approach could undermine universities that have evolved within specific indigenous and artistic surrounds. In this light, Panjab University’s case is seen as representational of the broader debate between centralization and autonomy in Indian advanced education.
Expressing solidarity with the university community, Tewari emphasized that Panjab University has produced generations of scholars, scientists, and leaders who have contributed significantly to public development. He said its governance model, which allows a mix of state and central participation, is a model of collaborative federalism and should be defended rather than disassembled. He reiterated that restructuring the university could set a dangerous precedent for other state universities with analogous literal arrangements.
Tewari concluded his appeal by calling upon the vice president to uphold the saintship of the university’s founding principles. He requested that the central government respect the sentiments of Punjab’s people and the academic fraternity, who view Panjab University not simply as an educational institution but as a symbol of the state’s adaptability and identity after Partition. His appeal reflects the growing pressure between central and state interests in India’s advanced education governance, where the balance between autonomy and uniformity remains a critical and ongoing debate.
