MANDI: The Mandi district unit of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has called upon the Congress-led Himachal Pradesh government to provide an alternative building to ensure that the Sardar Patel University (SPU) campus in Sundernagar remained functional.
Led by former district vice-president Anit Jaswal, NSUI activists submitted a memorandum to Congress leader and former MLA Sohan Lal Thakur, strongly opposing the proposed relocation of the campus. They emphasised that shifting the university from Sundernagar would deprive local students of affordable and accessible higher education.
Jaswal highlighted that despite Sundernagar being a prominent educational centre, it lacked essential postgraduate programmes such as MA, MBA and MCA. He urged the government to arrange a suitable alternative building within Sundernagar so that new academic courses can be introduced and students can benefit from quality education near their homes.
Responding to the concerns, Sohan Lal Thakur assured the NSUI members that efforts would be made to provide a dedicated building for the university campus, ensuring it is not moved out of Sundernagar.
This demand arises amid a larger controversy over the allocation of a newly constructed building that was originally intended for SPU but was later assigned to MLSM College. The building, completed in 2020 under a centrally sponsored scheme, remained unused for a considerable period. Recently, the Directorate of Higher Education transferred its use to MLSM College, triggering criticism from multiple quarters.
University officials had earlier expressed that the infrastructure was crucial for SPU’s growth, especially as the institution is still in its early stages of development. There were internal plans to begin academic activities in the building, and university leadership had reportedly conveyed objections to the government’s decision.
The move has also sparked political backlash, with opposition leaders accusing the state administration of neglecting the needs of the university and jeopardising the future of students in the region. Student bodies, including NSUI, are actively protesting and calling for immediate government intervention to protect and develop the SPU-Sundernagar campus.
Munish Sood
