Scheduled Caste (SC) students at Panjab University (PU) in Chandigarh are continuing their protests despite the university extending the deadline for scholarship fee payment under the Post Matric Scholarship (PMS) scheme. The new deadline is July 26.
The students, who are largely Ambedkar Students Association (ASA) members, would like an extension of the deadline and are not satisfied with the university’s requirement that they must prepay tuition. They claim that the Punjab government has not deposited their scholarship money into their accounts.
The protest began on July 8 with various student parties participating. ASA president Amit Banga alleged that the university administration had initially assured them of addressing their concerns but later backtracked. He further claimed that PU is demanding fee payment upfront during counselling sessions in some departments like the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS), and the hotel management department, even though the scholarship money hasn’t reached the students’ accounts.
Sandeep, president of the Students for Society (SFS), echoed Banga’s concerns, stating that this upfront fee requirement creates a barrier for economically disadvantaged SC students seeking admission to PU.
In response to the protests, PU has formed a committee to explore solutions for fee collection. The committee includes university officials like the finance and development officer, and deans of student welfare, and is headed by Professor Emmanuel Nahar, a former dean of student welfare and former chairman of the Punjab State Commission for Minorities.
The university is also considering implementing a system similar to Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, where PMS students provide an undertaking to pay the fees later.
PU officials claim that only around 10% of students have settled their PMS dues since the 2018-2019 session after the Punjab government implemented a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme for scholarships. The state government reportedly owes PU ₹21 crore for dues before the 2018-2019 session and an additional ₹15 crore for dues after that session.
Professor Amit Chauhan, dean of student welfare, assured the students that the date extension is meant to allow the university to finalize a solution. He said the university prioritizes student welfare and would further extend the deadline if necessary to resolve the issue completely.
