Chandigarh: The Chancellor of Panjab University has granted vice-chancellor Renu Cheema Vig a four-month extension, narrowly avoiding a leadership vacuum just 24 hours before her term was set to expire.The extension, notified by the Vice-President’s Secretariat on March 27, keeps Vig in office until July 28. The move signaling a strategic pause by the Centre, which is expected to advertise for a regular appointment shortly rather than granting an immediate second three-year term.The timing of the order is notable for its departure from the 2023 cycle. Previously, a Search-cum-Selection Committee was finalized days before the term ended; this year, no such body was constituted as the deadline loomed. While past V-Cs have frequently secured second terms — even across changes in the Vice-Presidency — the current administration has opted for an interim window. This suggests a formal, competitive selection process is imminent.Vig, who moved from acting VC to a full appointment in March 2023, has emphasised the need for “unfinished reforms.” Her extended four-month priority list includes staffing (regularizing nearly 800 Class C and D employees), structural shifts (finalising the implementation of the National Education Policy), and infrastructure (advancing campus accessibility and international outreach projects). “My priority is to expedite work already in the pipeline and ensure ongoing initiatives are not left midway,” she said following the announcement.
