Panjab University (PU) is a collegiate public state university located in Chandigarh, India. Jointly funded by the Government of India and the state government, it is classified as a state university. The institution traces its origins to the University of the Punjab established at Lahore in 1882, and was reconstituted in independent India following the partition of the subcontinent in 1947.
Key Facts
| Name | Panjab University |
|---|---|
| Type | Collegiate public state university |
| Funding | State and Union governments |
| Established | 1 October 1947 (as East Punjab University) |
| Predecessor | University of the Punjab, Lahore (founded 1882) |
| Location | Sectors 14 and 25, Chandigarh, India |
| Campus area | 220 hectares (550 acres) |
| Teaching/research departments | 78 |
| Centres/chairs | 10 |
| Affiliated colleges | 201 |
| Regional Centres | Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur |
| Accreditation | NAAC A++ |
Background
The university's antecedent, the University of the Punjab, was founded at Lahore in 1882 and was one of the older universities of British India. Following the partition of India in 1947, the Lahore institution remained in Pakistan, and a successor university was established in India to serve the eastern (Indian) Punjab region.
History and Timeline
- 1882: University of the Punjab founded at Lahore.
- 1 October 1947: The Indian successor institution is established as East Punjab University, headquartered initially at a cantonment in Solan, with teaching departments scattered across northern India.
- Subsequent years: The university shifts to a newly built self-contained campus in Sector 14, Chandigarh, and is renamed Panjab University.
Campus
The campus is residential and is spread over 220 hectares (550 acres) across Sectors 14 and 25 of Chandigarh. The main administrative and academic buildings are situated in Sector 14, alongside a health centre, a sports complex, student hostels and residential housing for staff and faculty.
Academics and Affiliations
At the main Chandigarh campus, Panjab University houses 78 teaching and research departments and 10 centres and chairs for teaching and research. It exercises affiliating jurisdiction over 201 colleges spread across eight districts of the state of Punjab and the union territory of Chandigarh. The university also operates Regional Centres at Sri Muktsar Sahib, Ludhiana and Hoshiarpur.
Accreditation and Standing
Panjab University is accredited with an A++ grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). It is regarded as a leading university in the Punjab and Haryana region and is among the well-ranked universities in India.
Significance
As one of the institutional descendants of the historic University of the Punjab at Lahore, Panjab University represents an important continuity of higher education in northern India after partition. Its dual funding from the Union and state governments, its large network of affiliated colleges, and its self-contained residential campus in Chandigarh make it a major centre of teaching and research in the region.
Related Topics
- Chandigarh
- University of the Punjab
- Partition of India
- National Assessment and Accreditation Council
- Education in Punjab, India
- List of universities in India
References
- Panjab University — English Wikipedia
- Wikidata: Q567899