DELHI’S SOUTH Asian University (SAU) has suspended four faculty members, citing “misconduct”, after issuing show-cause notices, which accused them of “inciting students against… the interest of the University” in violation of the university’s code of conduct. This action follows months of student protests last year against the reduction of monthly stipends for Master’s students.
One of the suspended faculty members, who did not wish to be named, told The Indian Express, “This looks like a targeted action against four people in the university who were simply trying to tell the administration to resolve the issues amicably.”
Officials at South Asian University confirmed the suspension of four faculty members. The faculty members who have been suspended are Dr Snehashish Bhattacharya from the Faculty of Economics, Dr Srinivas Burra from the Faculty of Legal Studies, Dr Irfanullah Farooqi from the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Dr Ravi Kumar from the Faculty of Social Sciences.
An office order, dated June 16, states, “…there are allegations of misconduct under Regulation 17.8 and the code of conduct prescribed in the Bye Laws of the University… which need to be investigated…”
The showcause notices, sent to the faculty members in December, state that the faculty members “incited” students against “colleagues, the administration and against the interest of the University”. They also ask if the faculty members were part of “Aijaz Ahmad Study Circle-A Marxist Study Circle Run by the Students of the South Asian University”. The notices stated that a protesting student had circulated an email condemning the entry of Delhi Police into the campus and asked the faculty members if they were part of any “Marxist Study Circle”.
“The university has accused the faculty members of instigating students to protest; failure to perform appropriate duties and; association with a Marxist study circle,” said a faculty member, who has been suspended.
When asked whether SAU asked the faculty members to explain themselves with respect to charges, including writing letters to the university community and questioning administrative decisions in relation to the student protest, the university said, “The said faculty members were asked to explain their certain conduct and as per the SAARC inter-governmental agreement, rules, regulations, and/or bye-laws of the University.”
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SAU is an international university sponsored by the eight member States of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Earlier in Chanakyapuri, its campus was recently shifted to Maidangarhi.
In September 2022, the students started a protest after the university administration revised the stipend for master’s students from Rs 5,000 to 3,000. They demanded that instead of being reduced, the stipends should be increased to Rs 7,000. Although the university first revised the stipend amount to Rs 4,000 and then back to Rs 5,000, the students’ protest continued. The university, however, refused to meet the Rs 7,000 stipend demand.
In October, the administration called the police to the campus to disperse the students who had gathered at the Acting President’s office. Subsequently, 13 faculty members wrote to the university, requesting that the situation be de-escalated.
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In November, the university issued orders announcing expulsion, rustication or suspension of five students, after which 15 faculty members wrote an email to the university community, expressing concerns regarding the actions of the university administration, which “were taken without following any due process”.
The students started a hungerstrike and later in November the police were allegedly called to the campus again to disperse the students. After several students fell sick during the hungerstrike, and with vacations being announced, the protest wound up in December. The show-cause notices were issued after the protest ended.
“The university in the suspension letter has not given us any reason. It only stated the regulation of the university which is basically about the misconduct of the teacher… they have not told us what the misconduct is. We are also surprised because 13 people wrote in October and 15 people wrote in November. Why are they picking only four people” said a suspended faculty member.
The university constituted a fact-finding committee in May this year to inquire into the involvement of faculty members in the protest.
“During the interaction with the committee on May 19, 2023, the faculty members were asked to provide answers to between 132 and 246 questions in writing by the end of the working day, using pen and paper and sitting in front of the committee members,” said another faculty member who did not wish to be named. “The entire incident seemed to be to establish a basis for retaliating against the faculty members and subjecting them to punishment.”
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The four teachers did not respond to the questions on May 19, but instead requested the Acting President on May 25 for a meeting to discuss the issue and provide any clarification, if needed. On June 16, the university issued the orders placing the four teachers under suspension.
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June 22, 2023 at 05:34AM
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South Asian University suspends four teachers for ‘inciting’ students’ stir - The Indian Express
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