A wave of student unrest has erupted at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) following the suspension of five students, a move which the university administration claims is in response to indiscipline and disruption of academic functioning. However, the suspended students, backed by faculty and student groups, say the actions are part of a broader attempt to suppress democratic voices and student activism on campus.
At a press conference organized by the Ambedkar University Delhi Students’ Council (AUDSC) on Tuesday, two of the suspended students – Sharanya Verma and Shubhojeet Dey – described the suspensions as retaliation for peaceful protests against administrative inaction on a bullying case.
“We exhausted all institutional options. We submitted letters, met with the registrar, and demanded an inquiry,” said Verma, a master’s student in performance studies and a member of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI). “But no action was taken. When we finally held a protest inside campus, the administration chose to suspend us.”
The protests began after three students were suspended in March for demonstrating against the university’s handling of an alleged bullying-linked suicide attempt by a first-year student. Their suspension was later revoked following a Delhi High Court intervention. The latest suspensions, announced on April 11, targeted students who had been demanding the revocation of the previous disciplinary actions.
Dey, a student of development studies and member of AUDSC, emphasized that the administration’s actions appear aimed at fostering a “culture of fear,” and accused them of punishing those who speak out against injustice.
The university has yet to issue a formal statement. Public Relations Officer Aditya said the administration is “following due process.” Registrar Navlendra Kumar Singh previously told PTI that students had blocked and vandalised his car and that of the Vice-Chancellor, prompting the intervention of security forces and police.
In response, the students deny any vandalism and claim that they were subjected to manhandling and physical aggression by security personnel. Verma recounted that during a peaceful attempt to meet the Vice-Chancellor at the university gate, they were allegedly assaulted by guards. “We were beaten, clothes torn, and by evening, we were suspended without even a show-cause notice,” she said.
According to students, the university has effectively locked down parts of the Kashmere Gate campus, restricting access to key areas and barring entry for both students and faculty. Two of the suspended students are in their final semester, risking their ability to submit dissertations, Sharanya added.
At the press meet held at the Press Club of India, several prominent academics, including Jayati Ghosh from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Delhi University professor Apoorvanand, condemned the suspensions. They accused the administration of curbing academic freedom and student rights, framing the events at AUD as part of a larger trend of shrinking democratic spaces in Indian universities.
“There is a systematic attempt to dismantle public universities as places of critical thought and dissent,” said Ghosh. “What we are witnessing is not just administrative overreach but an erosion of constitutional values.”
Professor Abha Dev Habib, formerly on the Delhi University Executive Council, also spoke out against what she termed an “orchestrated attack on public education.” She criticized the use of university funds to take legal action against students and highlighted the chilling effect such actions have on free speech and academic engagement.
Kaustav Banerjee, representing the AUD Faculty Association, called for the immediate revocation of the suspensions and urged the administration to re-establish communication with the student body. “Public universities like AUD are meant to serve the educational needs of the underprivileged. Disciplinary actions must be just, consistent, and dialogue-based,” he said.
With student protests continuing and national academic figures voicing concern, the situation at Ambedkar University remains tense, raising larger questions about student rights and administrative accountability in India’s higher education institutions.
