Pradhan urged to direct Pondy varsity to take back suspension order of 11 students

The 11 students were suspended by the university for participating in a protest against the varsity’s decision to raise fees.

Madurai Lok Sabha MP Su Venkatesan (CPM) has written a letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urging him to direct Pondicherry University to take back the suspension order of 11 students. The 11 students were suspended by the university for participating in a protest against the varsity’s decision to raise fees. 

The university had on December 17 prohibited 11 students, including students’ council president Parichay Yadav, from taking admission in the varsity for the next five years. They were also debarred from entering the campus and a fine of ₹10,000 was imposed on each of them. 

As per a report published in The Times of India, in the letter, which is addressed to the Education Minister, Venkatesan said students of Pondicherry University staged peaceful protests demanding the administration to revoke 300 per cent hike in fees in February-March 2020. He said the university moved the Madras high court, which directed the university and the students’ council to settle the issue amicably. 

The council called off the protest following the high court’s direction and trusting that the university would honour the high court’s direction. 
“In a grave violation of democratic norms, not only did the Pondicherry University refuse to negotiate with the students’ council, they have gone ahead to victimise the students who were raising a legitimate concern. Eighteen months after this event, in August 2021, a show-cause notice was issued by the university to the 11 students who took part in the protest,” said the MP. 

Venkatesan pointed out that the university took advantage of the high court’s vacation so that its arbitrary move could not be challenged legally. 

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