A year after Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) suspended three students associated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) for “indiscipline”, the organisation on Saturday said the action reflected a wider attempt to suppress dissent on university campuses and sets a dangerous precedent.
Shefali, a first-year MA student who was expelled in September, told The Hindu, “I would have been in my second year now, working on my dissertation. I haven’t been able to take up any internships either. Academically, this has been a huge setback for us all.”
At a press conference on Saturday, SFI leaders said the developments at AUD mirror a broader pattern across universities. “Across campuses, from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the University of Hyderabad, administrations are increasingly responding to student dissent through suspensions, expulsions, and intimidation. This reflects a broader attempt to curb democratic student politics across universities in the country,” said Subhash Jakhar, All India vice-president of SFI.
Sooraj Elamon, president of the SFI Delhi State Committee, said students who raised concerns about bullying were punished instead of being heard. “When democratic protests are treated as misconduct, it erodes the democratic culture and sets a dangerous precedent for institutions,” he said.
