On Sunday, faculty members and students from several prestigious universities in Delhi united in protest against the termination of AUD professors Salil Mishra and Asmita Kabra from Ambedkar University Delhi. The demonstrators condemned the dismissals as an assault on academic freedom and demanded their immediate reinstatement.
Professors Mishra and Kabra were dismissed on November 5 by AUD’s Board of Management (BoM) due to alleged procedural lapses during the regularisation of 38 non-teaching staff in 2018. This decision has drawn widespread criticism, particularly since a prior investigation by the Dr G.S. Patnaik committee had exonerated all administrators involved.
Uma Gupta, convenor of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, emphasised this discrepancy. “The Patnaik committee cleared the administrators of any wrongdoing in implementing the regularisation policy. Despite this, the BoM chose to form another committee, which again found no evidence of malafide intent or financial irregularities. The termination of AUD professors is vindictive and unjustified,” she stated.
Protestors described the action as an attempt to punish those advocating for equitable and inclusive public education. Faculty members from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Jamia Millia Islamia expressed solidarity with the terminated professors. Atul Sood, a professor at JNU, argued that the move was not limited to AUD but symbolised a broader effort to suppress dissent and curtail academic dialogue. “This action sends a message to educators everywhere: stay silent or face the consequences,” Sood warned, urging educators and students to resist such attempts at intimidation.
The termination of AUD professors has had a ripple effect, stirring concern among students and faculty about the state of academic freedom. Prerna, president of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) at AUD, voiced the concerns of the student community. “When our teachers are targeted, our education suffers. This isn’t just about two professors—it’s about the right to learn in an environment free of fear and repression,” she said.
Gopalji Pradhan, vice president of the Ambedkar University Delhi Faculty Association, shared a similar perspective. He described the termination of AUD professors as a calculated move to discourage dissenters and weaken the collective voice of educators advocating for progressive change. Another major point of contention raised during the protest was the silence of the Delhi government, which oversees AUD. Speakers criticised the administration for its lack of response and called on it to intervene to uphold justice and protect academic institutions from arbitrary decisions.
The protest concluded with impassioned calls for solidarity and collective action to safeguard academic freedom. Protestors pledged to continue their efforts until the professors are reinstated. “We will not back down. This is not just about two individuals but about preserving the integrity of public education,” said one speaker.
The rally demonstrated the growing concern among academics and students about the erosion of institutional autonomy and freedom of expression within universities. As the movement gains momentum, it serves as a reminder of the critical role educators play in shaping an informed and equitable society.
The termination of AUD professors Salil Mishra and Asmita Kabra has sparked a larger dialogue about the need to resist undue interference in educational spaces. For the academic community, this fight is not merely about reinstating two individuals but about ensuring that education remains a beacon of free thought, inquiry, and fairness.
