PU’s Rs 22 lakh budget vs costly fests: Unmonitored sponsorships fill gaps

Chandigarh: Panjab University's campus had been buzzing with back-to-back festivals, each bigger than the last. But as student council leaders compete to bring in star performers and grander events, the focus seems to be shifting from student welfare to spectacle. With Rs 22 lakh allocated for student council festivals, these events often exceed the budget, forcing organisers to bring in external funding through sponsors —without any university oversight.Jhankar, organised by PUCSC president Anurag Dalal, received Rs 9-10 lakh from the university's Rs 22 lakh student council festivals fund, confirmed PU. Apart from this, Vimarsh, which according to the PU budget should be held "with participation of international students", also had an expected expenditure of Rs 5 lakh. These two festivals were held back-to-back. Dhillon's performance, the commercial rate of which reportedly falls between Rs 12-15 lakh, was supposed to be the highlight of Jhankar, but with thousands of students and outsiders swarming the venue, security concerns led to a last-minute cancellation, leaving many disappointed.Dean of student welfare Prof Amit Chauhan acknowledged the financial strain. "The university has Rs 22 lakh for student council festivals, including Holi, Diwali, Lohri, etc, celebrations, but festivals like Jhankar require a much bigger budget. That's why the council members bring in sponsors on their own," he said.Jhankar is just one of multiple such events. Earlier this month, PUCSC general secretary Vineet Yadav organised Agaaz, featuring Punjabi singer Prem Dhillon. PUCSC joint secretary Jasvinder Rana is to host Scitron where Haryanvi singer Masoom Sharma is scheduled to perform on March 28, while PUCSC vice-president Archit Garg is organising Jashn-e-Riwayat on March 25, where Gurdas Mann is expected perform.With university funds falling short, student leaders rely on sponsorships and stall rentals to manage expenses. However, many students feel the festival culture has become more about competition than student welfare.While PU demands bills for allocated funds, no such oversight exists for sponsorships and stall collections. As the student council continues to organise grander events, the Jhankar cancellation highlights a growing reality—festivals may be getting bigger, but are they really getting better?