Around 15 students are rusticated by Hindu College, Delhi University. Disciplinary measures have been pursued against three more individuals for alleged “indiscipline” during the college union elections. This has announced by Hindu College Principal Prof Anju Srivastava on Monday.
The principal revealed that 15 students are rusticated by Hindu College following the recommendations of the college’s Disciplinary Resource Committee. This has been established to monitor the students’ involvement in disruptive activities during the college elections. In the course of imposing these penalties, students’ levels of participation in the disruptions played a significant role in determining the duration of their rustication.
The college’s Disciplinary Resource Committee notified students via email on October 27. This was regarding what they considered to be “serious indiscipline” that happened between September 15 and September 18. The college’s student union elections took place at this time.
The committee included a mention of a meeting they had with the students on October 16 in their email. During this discussion, the committee showed pictures and recordings that they believed showed the students’ direct participation in the reported incidents.
The committee communicated in a formal manner before the 15 students are rusticated by Hindu College. This demonstrates their awareness of the issue and their attempts to resolve it. The email gives the alleged indiscipline serious weight. Also, it implies that the committee is acting proactively by providing the implicated students with evidence at their meeting.
The letter read, “…The committee has determined that your behaviour between September 15th and 18th constitutes a severe breach of discipline…”
Hindu College students staged a hunger strike in September in protest of the college. This was for rejecting thirty of their candidates for central councillors and the role of “prime minister. “The president of the Hindu College students’ union is referred to as the leader of the organisation, not the “prime minister,” which is a major distinction.
The college had justified the cancellation of these nominations. It pointed to low attendance and subsequently initiated an investigation after the situation escalated, necessitating police intervention.
One of the students voiced their displeasure with the college’s attendance rules, requesting to remain anonymous. They said that when determining their eligibility, the college had solely taken into account their attendance in theory classes. They have ignored their participation in practical lessons. The students consequently insisted that a notice addressing this matter be issued by the college administration.
The eligibility criteria for students participating in union polls, as established by the Lyngdoh Committee, state that students must maintain a minimum attendance of 75 per cent. The disciplinary committee, led by Rameshwar Rai, disclosed that approximately 15 students are rusticated by Hindu colleges. This was due to their involvement in disruptions during the elections. Furthermore, an inquiry is ongoing for three other students. The disciplinary committee has imposed a maximum rustication period of four months on those who have been found guilty of misconduct.
The 15 students are rusticated by Hindu college functions as a formal declaration from the rusticated students in the form of an affidavit. They formally commit to refraining from any acts or behaviours that would compromise the academic institution’s integrity and ability to function within the pages of this text. By signing this declaration, the students declare that they will uphold the values of responsibility, discipline, and respect—all of which are essential to the learning community—and realise the repercussions of their previous behaviour.
