By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net
In a strange decision taken by JNU administration on Friday, 15 students of the university are now facing the risk of expulsion or suspension after a proctorial committee of the University found these students guilty under Category I and Category II of the ‘rules of discipline and proper conduct of students of JNU’.
On February 27 and 28 this year, students of the University sat in protests against the university’s decision to cut seats under MPhil and PhD courses. Prior to this, the students were suspended for allegedly disrupting the academic council meeting in December 2016.
The category I address “All acts of violence and all forms of coercion such as gheraos, sit-ins and any variation of the same which disturbs the normal academic and administrative functioning of the University and/or an act which incites or leads to violence.”
Fourteen of these 15 students, who are subjected under category I, are now facing the risk of rustication from the university for four consecutive semesters or expulsion from the courses and cancellation of admission.
While eight students have been subjected to only category I, six have been found guilty under both the categories I and II. The proctorial enquiry board has found one student guilty under category II only, the punishment under which can range from a reprimand to rustication for two semesters. The category II addresses “Hunger strikes, dharna, group bargaining, and any other kind of protest by blocking the entrance or exit of the academic and/or administrative complexes or disrupting the movement of any member of the University community”.
The notice reads as “This is the act of indiscipline and misconduct. You are hereby asked to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against you for indulging in the above-mentioned act.” The students have been asked to submit their replies by October 25 by 5 pm.
Aparajitha Raja, daughter of CPI leader D Raja is also on the list facing the risk of expulsion from the university under category I. Other students who have been served the notice are Anubhuti Agnes Bara, Anubhuti Sharma, Asif Kv, Birendra Kumar, Dawa Sherpa, Dileep Yadav, Manmeet Randhawa, Mulayam Singh, Pallikonda Manikanta, Prashant Nihal, Shakeel Anjum, Somaya Gupta, Sumeet Samos and Thallapelli Praveen.
In response to the university’s notice, the students have said that the most of the students belong to the marginalised communities and they are in their final years of completing their PhD. They have alleged that the university is harassing them.