This article is based on an assessment of the community participation process during the implementation of various activities under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), a programme designed to facilitate higher education institutions’ (HEIs) engagement with the rural community. Drawing from field study in four villages in the state of Haryana, India, the article provides an experiential account of the participatory process in rural India. The narrative that emerges from community assessment highlights the following challenges: lack of continuity, community fatigue, cultural gaps, lack of awareness, community expectations and rapport building. Specifically, the article reflects upon tensions and challenges that surfaced during community mobilisation and the way they hindered community participation. To address these gaps and to harness the potential of university–community partnership, the article suggests institutionalising the value of participation and empathy among the HEIs.