“Mithi dhun rabab di, Panjab University Punjab di”: Punjabi Students Celebrate Landmark Victory at Panjab University

Chandigarh, India, November 29, 2025

The streets around Panjab University, Chandigarh, came alive with dhol beats, bhangra, and slogans of “Inquilab Zindabad” as student protesters from Punjab celebrated a hard-won victory. After weeks of intense mobilisation, sit-ins and solidarity gatherings, the University authorities finally accepted all major student demands and released the long-awaited schedule for Senate elections.

What began as a campus protest has now turned into a wider Punjabi celebration of youth voice, democratic participation, and people’s power.

From Protest to Celebration

For months, students—especially from Punjab—had been demanding timely Senate elections, greater transparency in university governance, and recognition of their stake in the institution’s future.

Sit-ins at campus gates evolved into continuous protest spaces, where students combined study circles, cultural performances, and speeches.
Posters and wall art across campus highlighted issues of representation, accessibility, and the need for accountable administration.
Night-long vigils became a symbol of determination, with students reading out the university’s historical documents, statutes, and past Senate decisions to underline how central the Senate is to Panjab University’s character.

When the announcement finally came—that all demands had been accepted and the Senate poll schedule had been released—there was an almost immediate transformation: protest stages turned into celebration stages.

A Rainbow of Support: Students, Farmers, Nihangs, Politicians, Ministers

What made this victory especially significant was the breadth of support that gathered around the students. This wasn’t just a “campus issue” anymore—it became a question of Punjab’s stake in Panjab University.

1. Punjabi Students at the Heart

Punjabi students formed the core of the movement:

They framed their struggle not only as a fight for student rights but also as a stand for Punjab’s historical, cultural, and financial stake in the university.
Many hailed from farming families, small towns, and villages, bringing the vocabulary of “zameen, zubaan te zindagi” (land, language, and life) into the campus discourse.
Student leaders emphasised that Senate elections are not a formality; they decide who will shape policies on admissions, staff, resource allocation, and the future development of the university.

2. Farmers’ Solidarity

Farmers’ unions and kisan leaders from Punjab joined rallies, visited protest sites, and publicly backed the students’ demands.

They drew parallels between the farmers’ struggles for fair policies and the students’ struggle for democratic governance.
Delegations of farmers visited the campus, offering not just speeches but also practical support—langar-style food, tents, and a visible show of solidarity that strengthened the students’ resolve.

For many observers, it was a powerful image: tractors parked at the periphery of the city, tarpaulin shelters, and banners reading “Students and Farmers: One Struggle”.

3. Nihang Presence: Faith, Heritage, and Moral Support

The appearance of Nihang Sikhs at solidarity gatherings added a strong cultural and ethical dimension.

Nihangs, with their traditional blue attire, turbans, and symbolic weaponry, underscored the historic Sikh ethos of standing with the oppressed and speaking truth to power.
While not involved in campus politics per se, their presence was read as a moral endorsement of the students’ right to protest and their demand for fair processes.

Their participation reminded many that Panjab University is not just an academic institution; it is part of a broader civilisational and cultural landscape of Punjab and the region.

4. Punjabi Politicians and Punjab Ministers: Voices from the Political Arena

Leaders from across the political spectrum in Punjab—MLAs, MPs and Ministers—issued statements and made visits expressing support for the students’ core demands.

Some framed the issue as a question of federal and regional rights, stressing that Punjab’s voice must be adequately represented in any decision about Panjab University’s structure and future.
Others highlighted how young people’s engagement with institutional democracy—like Senate elections—should be nurtured, not obstructed.

Punjab Ministers in particular called the resolution of the dispute and the release of the Senate poll schedule a “win for dialogue, democracy, and youth”.

The Celebration: Dhol, Slogans and Hope

Once the Senate schedule was made public, the atmosphere changed dramatically:

Students broke into bhangra and gidda on the very roads where they had earlier staged sit-ins.
Handmade placards that once read “Release Senate Schedule Now” were painted over with new slogans like “Sadda Senate, Sadda Maan” and “Students Can Shape the System”.
Social media filled up with images of students, farmers, Nihangs, and elected representatives standing together, turning the campus into a symbol of collective victory.

The celebration was not triumphalist; many student speakers reminded the crowd that the real work still lay ahead: campaigning, voting, and ensuring that the Senate truly reflects the concerns of students and the region.

Why This Victory Matters

This moment at Panjab University holds meaning beyond the campus:

Reclaiming Institutional Democracy
The Senate is not a mere administrative body; it is the heart of university governance. Students forcing the system to conduct timely, fair elections is a reminder that institutional democracy is only as strong as the people who insist on it.
Youth as Custodians of Public Institutions
The movement has shown that students are not indifferent to institutional questions like statutes, budgets, or governance structures. They understand that these decisions shape both the quality of education and the public character of the university.
Cross-Class, Cross-Sector Solidarity
Farmers, Nihangs, politicians, and ministers standing with students created a broad front of support, linking campus issues to village life, regional identity, and democratic rights.

The Road Ahead

The Senate elections, now scheduled between September 7 and October 4, 2026, will fill 49 of the 91 seats.The release of the schedule fulfills the protesters’ primary demand.

A Symbol of Punjab’s Spirit

The victory at Panjab University is being hailed as a reminder of Punjab’s long tradition of collective struggle — from farmers’ protests to student movements. The celebrations were not just about an election schedule, but about reaffirming the values of unity, resilience, and cultural pride.

As the dhol beats faded into the night, one thing was clear: the students of Punjab had written a new chapter in the state’s democratic history.

“This is not just about one election. It’s about telling the system that Punjabi Students and Punjab will not be silent stakeholders in Panjab University’s future.”