The Pondicherry University Non-teaching Staff Welfare Association has urged Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gurmeet Singh to quash the recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee and revoke the order debarring 11 students, who participated in a protest against fee hike last year.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Singh, Association president K. Kaliaperumal said protests organised by the student community in February 2020 was never violent, and they were never irresponsible. The Students’ Council had the onerous responsibility and right to represent any matter pertaining to student welfare and other matters of importance, and the hike in fees is also an important matter related to student welfare.
“Their protest must be viewed as a thoughtful reflection on student rights. But to our great dismay, the meaningful voice and concern of the students has not been heard properly and also not handled judiciously by the university administration,” he said.
The Association said the absence of a robust statutory grievance redressal mechanism was one of the core reasons for all the shortcomings and problems in the university. The administration should immediately fill up all statutory vacant positions such as the Registrar, finance officer, controller of examination, director etc., on a regular basis.
The university should immediately revoke the punishment imposed on the outgoing students considering their future, failing which it will cause a long-term adverse impact on the functioning of the institution, the association said.
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