Sardar Patel University crippled by political vendetta, says ex-CM Jai Ram
Munish Sood
MANDI:
When Sardar Patel University (SPU)-Mandi was inaugurated in April 2022 by then Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, it was hailed as a historic milestone. After fifty years, Himachal Pradesh had finally got its second state university — a move intended to reduce the burden on Himachal Pradesh University (HPU)-Shimla and bring higher education closer to the students of lower Himachal.
At its birth, the SPU came with 115 affiliated colleges from five districts — Mandi, Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti. The institution quickly emerged as a symbol of pride for the region.
Barely three years later, that pride has turned into despair. Today, the university stands with only 26 colleges under its belt. The rest have been stripped away, one notification at a time, under the government of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Systematic weakening of SPU
- First blow — Kangra and Chamba (2023): Soon after the Sukhu government took charge, the biggest districts, Kangra and Chamba, were de-affiliated from the SPU. The move not only slashed its jurisdiction but also took away the largest share of revenue as these districts had dozens of colleges.
- Second blow — Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti (2024): A year later, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti colleges were also pulled back under the HPU. The SPU, once spread across five districts, was now reduced mainly to Mandi, leaving the university financially and academically crippled.
- Third blow – No staff, no meetings: Recruitment of teaching and non-teaching staff was frozen. Meetings of the executive council and finance committee were not allowed for over a year, stalling critical decisions. The examination branch at Sundernagar was quietly handed to another institution, undermining the SPU’s control over its core functions.
- Final blow – BEd colleges (2025): The recent notification transferring 18 BEd colleges to the HPU has been described as the last nail in the coffin. These colleges were the main revenue source for the SPU, contributing nearly Rs 2 crore annually. With this loss, the university has been pushed into a severe financial crisis.
From 115 colleges in 2022 to just 26 in 2025, the SPU has been reduced to a hollow shell.
University caught in politics?
From the very beginning, the university appears to have been caught in political crossfire. The SPU was established by Jai Ram Thakur’s BJP government and almost immediately after the Congress came to power, it was branded as “Jai Ram’s university”.
Former Pro Vice-Chancellor Anupama Singh said the sequence of events showed clear political intent: “I fought a three-year battle to protect this institution. It is heart-breaking that the only prestigious university of this region has been crippled like this. First, the VC and Pro-VC were asked to return to the HPU, then Kangra and Chamba colleges were removed, followed by Kullu and Lahaul. Now, the BEd colleges are gone too. It is unfortunate that an educational institution has been reduced to a victim of dirty politics.”
Local MLA Anil Sharma called the decision deliberate sabotage: “This is not reform, but revenge. The government is killing the only higher education hub of lower Himachal step by step. Students and parents have been betrayed. The latest move to snatch BEd colleges is nothing short of the last nail in the coffin.”
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also lashed out, accusing the Sukhu government of systematically dismantling institutions: “This government has done nothing except shutting down or shifting institutions. Sardar Patel University was a boon for students of this region, bringing higher education to their doorstep. First, a building worth Rs 16 crore of SPU was handed over to a private college, and now this? The government has made up its mind to close SPU and reduce it to a regional centre. This is not governance, this is vendetta.”
Even current Vice-Chancellor Lalit Kumar Awasthi expressed surprise when asked about the latest notification: “I have no official communication so far. The reports are circulating in the media dated 23-08-2025, but until I receive the notification formally, I cannot comment.”
Students are worst sufferers
Caught in the political tug-of-war are thousands of students. Many enrolled in the SPU with the belief that it would grow into a strong university offering opportunities closer to home. Instead, they now face uncertainty about their degrees, examinations, and future prospects.
For students from remote areas like Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu, the SPU was the first real chance at higher education without the long and expensive travel to Shimla. That hope is now being steadily dismantled.
