Chandigarh, May 2 -- Despite repeated announcements by the Punjab government regarding allotment of funds for construction of hostels, Panjab University hasn't received any in the past three years. The latest promise came through a sanction letter in January wherein the Punjab government authorised a 10% release of hostel construction funds for PU, but university officials confirmed that their wait is far from over. Vice chancellor Renu Vig said the university has now been informed that Rs.35 crore has been allocated for the hostel projects in the current budget session. "Hopefully, it will be released this session," she said. But for the university, the assurance carries the weight of a familiar pattern. The Rs.35-crore allocation is the latest in a series of commitments stretching back around three years, none of which have resulted in funds reaching the university. On August 25, 2023, the Punjab government issued a gazette notification announcing a Rs.48 crore grant for the construction of more hostels on campus. Despite the notification, no money was released for over a year. The state's budget session on March 5, 2024, followed with an allocation of Rs.40 crore for the 2024-25 financial year, which also never arrived. Then came January 2026 sanction letter for a 10% release, repeating the pattern. Now, a fresh budget provision of Rs.35 crore has been made, but without even a sanction letter yet. The consequences are visible on campus. Girls' hostel number 11 - Devi Ahilyabai Hall - stands on just two of its six planned floors, built using central government funds. The remaining four floors are waiting for Punjab's contribution which they were supposed to fund with the Rs.49 crore grant. Boys' hostel number 9 has not been built at all. The hostel funds are not the only money the university is still waiting for. In October 2024, PU sought Rs.36.51 crore in pending dues under the Post-Matric Scholarship (PMS) scheme from the Punjab government. Although a sanction letter for the amount had been issued, officials say no funds have been released against it either. The university has written to the state government numerous times seeking the release of the long-pending dues, including post-matric scholarship payments, hostel funds and arrears. According to PU officials, Punjab's contribution to the university's budget was on the lower side for the financial year 2025-26. A consultative committee of the central government had fixed the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and the Punjab government for funding the deficit of PU in 1976 but it has not been followed to the book since then. After 2020, Punjab had started direct benefit transfer (DBT) of funds into the accounts of eligible students, to be further paid to PU. However, an audit had found that students had yet to deposit funds to the tune of Rs.13.5 crore to the varsity. The original promise was made in July 2023, when chief minister Bhagwant Mann and cabinet minister Meet Hayer visited the campus, with the vice chancellor and registrar present at the press conference....