Hindu College suspends students for ‘indiscipline’; seeks undertaking they won’t ‘cause disruption’

The move came after some students staged a hunger strike in September over the rejection of about 30 student nominations for the positions of ‘prime minister’ and ‘central councillors’ at the college. At Hindu College, the head of the students’ union is referred to as ‘prime minister’ instead of ‘president’.

The college had cited low attendance as the reason for the cancellation of nominations and ordered an inquiry after it was alleged that the students did not allow Principal Anju Srivastava to exit her office.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Srivastava said, “Approximately 10-11 students have been rusticated and the rustication is for a finite period on the recommendations of the college’s discipline committee. The discipline committee has reached this decision after investigating the issue for several days and based their decision on documentary evidence, which found them guilty of offences of damage of college property and disruption of academics.”

“This decision was not taken because the students were protesting. Protest is always tolerated, but other indiscipline actions can’t be tolerated. Each student has been rusticated for different periods of time, a few for a month, a few for two. Only two students were rusticated for four months,” Srivastava added.

Srivastava further said that these students must give a written undertaking to the college that they will not repeat these acts of ‘indiscipline’ in the future.

An email to one of the students who was rusticated by the college reads, “Consequent upon explanation furnished by you and proofs of your involvement shown through photos and videos in the possession of Disciplinary Resource Committee (DRC)… found that your conduct during 15-18 September, 2023, falls in the following acts of gross indiscipline under Ordinance XV-B (Maintenance of discipline among students of university)… wilful destruction of institutional property… causing disruption in any manner of the academic functioning of the University System.”

It further says, “You are being rusticated from the college for a period of 3 months. Further you are being forewarned to refrain from any act of indiscipline in future during your stay in the college. You are to submit an undertaking on an affidavit stating that you will not be involved in any such act of indiscipline in future.”