Back-to-back student fests spell chaos at Panjab University

With images of students’ rowdy behaviour during Holi celebrations at Panjab University (PU) still fresh in the memory, subsequent week also remains jam-packed with two back-to-back fests. The fest “Vimarsh” was held on March 17 and 18, while “Jhankar” is underway. After the weekend, another fest will be held from March 23 till 25. The brazen display of rowdyism and loud music on the campus throughout the week has been the norm in PU for the past few weeks.

While exact data on bookings for fests and activities wasn’t available, officials explained that the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) organises four student fests in an academic year. Interestingly, the student unions spend lavishly on their own events even as they are quick to protest any fee hike, which is required to run the university. Apart from this, each department of the university also has a budget set apart for cultural activities and students who perform in them are also given attendance. Flash mobs of these fests are held at the Student Centre.

Major student parties of PU also organise fests to flex their crowd-attracting prowess just before the exam season starts in full swing.

Avtar Singh of the Students Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) highlighted the issue on March 13. In a reel shot beside AC Joshi Library in PU, he showed how loudly the music was playing during the day. “Every day for the past month, someone or the other comes to the Student Centre with a loudspeaker and creates a disturbance for the students. How are we supposed to study in such an environment,” he said.

Speaking about the issue, PU vice-chancellor Renu Vig said, “Student fests are organised every year. This time Holi came early which is why the schedule seems conflated. It is not like academic activities aren’t taking place along with the fests. There are multiple academic activities also organised as a part of these fests.” She added that she would ask the authorities to keep a check on the noise levels and the presence of outsiders at these events.

As per PU chief of university security (CUS) Vikram Singh, the permissible noise level at activities being held at the Student Centre is 50 decibels. “We ask the organisers to turn the volume down whenever there is a complaint. As per the standard operating procedure, we make sure all activities are stopped by 10 pm,” he added. Officials of the Sector 11 police station said around 50 cops are deployed during the bigger fests in PU. Outsiders also flock to the varsity to attend these fests. Some organisers even invite politicians and commuters to bear the brunt of traffic.

Permission for holding the events at the Student Centre is given by dean students welfare (DSW) Amit Chauhan. He said that holding cultural activities is a part of university education. “We give permission while asking students not to play loud music beyond 3 pm. It’s a part of university learning. Even student parties which hold events nurture future politicians of our region,” he said.

Campus president cautions against fake concert passes

With Punjabi singer Arjan Dhillon set to perform at PU’s Jhankar fest, it has come to light that people are selling fake passes for the concert.

Organiser of Jhankar and PUCSC president Anurag Dalal made a video about this to alert people. “It’s a student fest and any PU student can come to watch the fest for free. Some unknown people are using Instagram to sell the passes. They are asking for up to ₹20,000,” he said and urged people not to fall for this.

Dalal also approached the PU police post officials and informed them about the same. Meanwhile, DSW prof Amit Chauhan said that some passes are printed but those are only for the invitees by the organisers and these are printed on the same day and are not available for purchase.