Chandigarh: In a significant administrative development for Panjab University (PU), the Vice President of India, acting in his capacity as the University Chancellor, has granted a four-month extension to the term of the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Renu Vig. This decision, announced on Saturday, March 28, 2026, is intended to ensure administrative continuity and a smooth leadership transition as the university prepares to select its next head. Prof. Vig, who became the first woman to hold the permanent post of Vice-Chancellor at PU in 2023, will continue to lead the premier institution during this interim period.
Simultaneously, the Chancellor has constituted a high-level, all-women three-member Search-cum-Selection Committee to identify and recommend a successor. The committee is chaired by Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Madhuri Kanitkar, who currently serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences. Joining her are two other distinguished academics: Prof. Shashikala Wanjari, Vice-Chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in New Delhi, and Prof. Vibha Tandon, Director of the CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) in Kolkata.
The formation of an entirely female selection committee is being viewed as a progressive step in the university’s history, reflecting a commitment to gender diversity at the highest levels of academic governance. The committee is expected to begin the search process immediately, evaluating candidates based on academic excellence, administrative experience, and their vision for the university’s future. Panjab University remains one of India’s oldest and most prestigious institutions, and the upcoming appointment is seen as crucial for maintaining its standing in global and national rankings.
