Chandigarh, Dec. 3 -- Panjab University (PU) will hold its 73rd Annual Convocation on December 13, with Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria presiding over the ceremony. The event will be taking place in the Gymnasium Hall of the university. Authorities have requested chairpersons, directors and coordinators of all teaching departments, institutes and regional centres to submit the list of faculty members willing to attend the convocation by December 5 so that arrangements can be finalised. This year's ceremony will be held without the presence of the chancellor, the Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, who cancelled his maiden visit to the university a few weeks ago. The VP had earlier asked PU to shift the convocation from its usual March-April schedule to December, indicating that he would attend. However, on November 22, his office conveyed that he would not be able to visit, officially citing a packed schedule. Senior university officials had confirmed that the decision was influenced by the protests at the time under the Panjab University Bachao Morcha, which had intensified ahead of the senate election schedule announcement. The last convocation, held in March earlier this year, was graced by the presence of President Droupadi Murmu, who became the sixth president to address the PU convocation after Rajendra Prasad (1951), Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy (1981), Giani Zail Singh (1985), APJ Abdul Kalam (2007) and Pranab Mukherjee (2015). However, despite the conclusion of recent protests, PU will not be hosting its chancellor-the Vice President-or the President at this convocation, making this year's ceremony particularly notable for their absence. Meanwhile, PU registrar YP Verma on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review preparations for the ceremony. According to officials, students who have completed their PhD degrees after the previous convocation will receive their degrees this year, along with toppers from the 2024 examinations, who will be awarded medals. A full rehearsal for all degree recipients, will be held on December 12. With the protest phase now over and the election schedule announced, the university is moving ahead with preparations for the December 13 ceremony under the governor's chairmanship....