Supreme Court Decision
The Supreme Court of India has denied a request for immediate relief to 16 suspended students of the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit. According to India Today, the Court instructed the Kerala High Court to expedite the hearing on the students’ petition challenging their suspension.
Key Developments
The Supreme Court’s decision follows a series of rulings by the Kerala High Court. Initially, a single judge permitted the students to take their semester examinations, subject to the outcome of their suspension challenge. However, a division bench subsequently overturned this order, citing insufficient evidence to support the students’ claim to take the exams.
Student Allegations
The students, affiliated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), allege they were suspended for 64 days without a formal enquiry. They claim the university’s action was punitive and that the delay in proceedings is preventing them from attending classes and impacting their academic performance. According to reports, the students protested the university’s lack of basic facilities, staging a mock funeral of defunct lights and microphone systems.
University’s Stance
The university maintains that the students did not meet minimum attendance requirements and internal assessment criteria. They argue that the students’ actions, including protesting against the vice-chancellor, constituted misconduct. The university has undertaken to conduct special examinations if the High Court rules in favor of the students.
High Court’s Next Steps
The Kerala High Court is currently scheduled to hear the students’ petition on November 17. The Court has been directed to decide the suspension challenge expeditiously. The university’s assurance of special examinations if the students succeed in their case remains contingent on the High Court’s decision.
Background
The students were initially suspended on September 1, following a protest on August 13 where they reportedly protested against the university’s lack of functional stage lights. The university alleged that the students engaged in disruptive behavior, including manhandling the vice-chancellor and attempting to damage her vehicle.
Source: India Today. Featured image credit: India Today.
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