Kerala High Court Questions University Over Suspended Students' Apology Demand

The Kerala High Court has questioned the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit in Kalady about why it continues to demand an apology from 16 students who have already spent 60 days under suspension. Justice P.V. Kunhikrishnan is handling the plea filed by these students, who faced suspension pending an inquiry into a protest where they allegedly staged a mock funeral of the Vice-Chancellor and tried to manhandle him.

Court Observations And Student Demands

The court stated it does not support what the students did, but pointed out that a 60-day suspension and being barred from writing their exams are significant punishments. The High Court told the university to consider lifting the suspension order. The students explained that they held the mock funeral to protest against dysfunctional lights on the university stage. They also denied the allegations and stated their protest was meant to highlight an 18-point charter of demands. These demands included appointing required faculty members and providing basic facilities for students across various departments.

Legal Battles And Previous Rulings

A week prior, a Division Bench of the High Court observed that political activities like dharnas, hunger strikes, and satyagrahas have no place in academic institutions. That ruling quashed a Single Bench order that had allowed the 16 students to appear for their semester exams. The Division Bench held that suspended students must face consequences like attendance shortages. The students subsequently challenged that Division Bench order in the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court urged the Single Bench of the High Court to consider the matter.

Context

Disputes between university administrations and student bodies often center on disciplinary actions taken during campus protests over facilities and administrative policies. Courts frequently balance student rights to education against the enforcement of campus discipline and rules regarding political activities.