With just a day left for the deadline set by the PU Bachao Morcha, Panjab University is preparing for a tense Wednesday as student groups push ahead with their call for a complete bandh on November 26.
The shutdown call was announced after weeks of protests demanding that the university declare the schedule for the long-delayed Senate elections.
Across the campus, students and supporting organisations are drawing up plans for marches, gate gatherings and blockades if the election dates are not announced by Tuesday night. Many departments have already started adjusting internal activities, expecting disruptions on Wednesday.
The PU Bachao Morcha has said that all academic activities, including classes and routine work inside the administrative block, will be stopped on November 26. They also reiterated that their protest remains peaceful and democratic, but firm in demand.
According to student leaders, the bandh is meant to send a clear message that the university cannot function without its elected Senate.
On the other hand, the administration has made its position clear with a circular issued by the Office of the Dean of University Instruction declaring November 26 a normal working day. Departments have been instructed to remain open from 9 am to 5 pm, and the university has confirmed that all examinations scheduled for the day will take place without any changes. This has widened the gap between the protesters and the university authorities as both sides prepare for the crucial day.
The Panjab University Staff Association had earlier appealed to students not to block the Administration Block, especially because many female staff members work late and need safe access. However, student groups say the administration has failed to act despite repeated assurances and meetings, leaving them with no option but to intensify the protest.
With faculty, students and several organisations across Punjab watching closely, Wednesday is expected to be a defining day in the ongoing campus movement. The final decision on whether the bandh goes ahead will depend on whether the Senate poll schedule is announced in time — something students have been demanding for weeks.
If no notification is issued by tonight, the shutdown is likely to go ahead as planned, setting the stage for direct confrontation between the protesters and the administration.