Two days after taking exception to the attire of a postgraduate student at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn), observing that people “must maintain dignity and decorum” of the court, the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday (April 29, 2026) orally advised the institute to “show sympathy” towards the student in her early 20s.
Justice Nirzar Desai observed that people in their early 20s may not fully understand the consequences of their actions, and that a student may sometimes cross the line for various reasons. The court noted that while the student may have erred, the conduct did not appear grave enough to warrant strict action such as suspension. It also pointed out that the student had already complied with certain measures, including performing community service and vacating the hostel. “A person in his early 20s or he’s a teenager or he or she may not be knowing the consequences of bad behavior…She may have done something wrong, but it is not so grave that she would require suspension… Your entire order is based on her past conduct…”
Justice Desai orally suggested that both sides resolve the matter through mutual agreement, noting that a negotiated settlement would be preferable to a judicial order. “It is always better for both the sides to close this issue by arriving at a consensus without giving orders, because it is not in the interest either of the institution or of the students,” the court observed. The judge added that while students should not be encouraged to engage in any form of instigation, institutions must also avoid asserting undue dominance. He cautioned that if the institution’s action were endorsed, it could lead to an “absolute exhibition of power” on its part.
