'No Valid Reason...': Suspended Over 'Misconduct', South Asian University Faculty Member ​Says Will Move Court

Four faculty members of the South Asian University have been suspended for “misconduct” and “inciting” a student’s protest against their colleagues and the administration.

The South Asian University in Delhi suspended four of its teachers for allegedly engaging in "misconduct". The suspension under "Regulation 17.8 and the code of conduct prescribed in the by-laws of the university" came on June 16, months after student protests in November and December against a reduction in the monthly stipends for Master’s students.

Speaking to ABP Live, one of the suspended faculty members said they seemed to have been targeted because they wanted the university administrtion to address the issues. These teachers had previously openly criticised the administration for calling police force to the premises of the international campus located at Akbar Bhawan in New Delhi to stem the protests. 

Confirming the suspension order, SAU authorities told ABP Live the reason was "allegations of misconduct".  

The four faculty members in question are Snehashish Bhattacharya from the Faculty of Economics, Srinivas Burra from the Faculty of Legal Studies, Irfanullah Farooqi from the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Ravi Kumar from the Faculty of Social Sciences. They have criticised the suspension order issued by the SAU Deputy Registrar, deeming it "patently illegal" and a violation of the rules and regulations in place. 

It is learnt that a fact finding committee had been constituted by the university last month to inquire into the involvement of faculty members in the protests.

"We were asked to provide written answers to a range of 132 to 246 questions by the end of the working day. We were required to use pen and paper and sit in front of the committee members. While we were willing to answer, being asked to respond to such a large number of questions was extremely humiliating. We submitted a written request to the authorities, asking for 2 months to answer the questions via email. However, we did not receive any response, and subsequently received suspension letters on June 16," one of the suspended teachers, who did not wish to be named, told ABP Live.

The university has provided "no valid reason" for the action in the suspension letter, said the faculty member. "They have not told us what the misconduct is. 13 people wrote to the administration in October and 15 people wrote in November. Why they suspended only 4?”

Denying the allegations levelled by the teachers, the public relations officer of the university said no faculty member was "asked to write answers to 130-200 questions", and that the nature of the questions was "as per the terms of reference of the Committee".

Meanwhile, when asked about their next move, the teacher quoted above said: "We will go to the court. We are currently engaged in thorough discussions regarding the entire matter with our lawyer, and possibly file a case in the high court."

JNUTA Condems Suspensions 

The suspension order evoked strong condemnation from the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA), which called it "unjust" and "aimed at instilling fear among faculty members". In a statement, association president DK Lobiyal said: “The suspension notice issued to the faculty by the SAU administration on 16.06.2023 came after a spate of humiliation of the four faculty members by the Fact Finding Committee that on May 19, 2023, asked them to provide handwritten answers to over a hundred questions sitting in front of the committee members. The faculty raised objections to this process and wrote to the FFC and the SAU administration, but they received no reply.”

Condemning the incident, JNUTA said: "...unprecedented harassment, coercion, and intimidation of the SAU faculty by the administration. There are several news reports that the university served notices and expelled/suspended/rusticated several students protesting against the reduction of monthly stipends without following the due process." 

It added: "Several faculty in SAU have also raised their concerns regarding the arbitrary actions of the university administration against the students. These notices of expulsion and rustication have put the students under tremendous stress, both mentally and physically.”

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