But PU has yet to officially send out an invite to their counterparts in Pakistan even with just a month left for the much-anticipated festival.
Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president Anurag Dalal had first come up with the proposal to invite University of the Punjab, Lahore, for the student fest, following which PU had formed a committee to go over the proposal. The idea received the committee’s approval not long after, but the invite still hasn’t been sent out.
Dalal had come up with the proposal on January 10, and claims that this will be the first such instance of a university from Pakistan participating in a student fest organised by PU.
Speaking about the delay, vice-chancellor professor Renu Vig said, “We have received the committee’s recommendations. But before sending out the invite, we are currently examining the necessary permissions required from the Union ministry of external affairs (MEA).”
The invite will be drafted and signed by the vice-chancellor, as per officials.
A member of the committee, constituted by the V-C, said though the proposal was accepted swiftly, authorities had gotten busy with recent events like the youth fest at PU, but will now pursue the matter.
Dalal said he held a meeting with PU officials regarding this on Thursday: “If permission is needed from MEA, we will approach them as well. We wish to send out the invite as soon as possible. It will be a great gesture for both varsities to get together.”
He added that they had not reached out to the Pakistani varsity yet for their thoughts on the proposal.
The Jhankar student fest is organised annually by the president of the campus student council. Being hosted by the president, it is usually the biggest student fest on the campus in the academic year, organised with great fanfare.
Last year, the festival was delayed due to the model code of conduct imposed in the city ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Then president Jatinder Singh had to face considerable hardship getting all the extra permissions in time, while the fest had also seen a relatively lower footfall as compared to fests organised by other student council members.
