PhD scholars and students of Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) on Monday, September 28, staged an indefinite sit-in at the Kashmere Gate campus, seeking complete withdrawal of a July 31 circular that made attendance “compulsory” for research scholars, according to a PTI report.
The sit-in, organised by the AUD Student Council Karampura (AUDSC KP) and the Joint Action Committee of AUD PhD scholars, was also joined by the All India Students’ Association (AISA). The former have been agitating against what they referred to as “forced surveillance” and an “acute infrastructural crisis” in the university for over two months now.
According to the news agency, after a “Chalo KG” call on September 22, which was joined by hundreds of students, the registration convened a meeting with protestors, following which a notice stating that the PhD attendance-cum-whereabouts registry would be kept in “abeyance” until the infrastructure crisis is resolved was issued on September 24.
“Any unauthorised absence from the on-campus research work, as certified by the attendance records, will be penalised as per the rules. Particularly, such absence will have a direct bearing on the fellowship received by the scholar,” said the notification issued by Dean Academic Affairs, Professor Satyaketu Sankrit, who is also the Chief Proctor.
The students, however, turned it down as “insufficient” and sought a complete rollback of all circulars released on July 31.
End to Garrisoning, Reinstatement of PhD Fee Waiver Among Key Demands
The key demands of protesting students comprise a complete reversal of all July 31 circulars; an end to the “garrisoning” of campus spaces and removal of iron gates; reinstatement of the PhD fee waiver; and ensuring students’ representation at all levels of university decision-making, from the board of management to infrastructure grievance redressal committees.
Speaking on the issue, Mrinalini, a CC member of AUDSC KP, in a conversation with PTI, said, “Our campus is falling apart in front of us, be it infrastructure, faculty, basic dignity or student rights. And the administration of a university named after Ambedkar meets us with pure apathy.”
(With inputs from PTI)