Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law students rally against V-C’s girls’ hostel inspection, ‘sexist remarks’ and safety concerns 

Students at the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law in Patiala, Punjab are staging an indefinite sit-in protest to demand the ouster of V-C (Dr.) Jai Shankar Singh. The University administration has denied all allegations.

Student-led protests have marred activity at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Law (RGNUL) in Patiala, Punjab after Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Jai Shankar Singh allegedly entered the girls’ hostel without prior notice, violating their privacy.

Students regard this incident as the last straw in a series of grievances that, in their view, have caused the VC to lose “their mandate” — leading to an indefinite sit-in protest that began on Sunday (September 22, 2024). Their demands include strengthened campus security, the establishment of a students’ association for improved representation, and the implementation of comprehensive academic reforms.

Denying the allegations, Prof. Singh told The Hindu that his visit to the first-year female students’ rooms was “at their invitation.” He claimed that an influx of female students this academic year had led to overcrowding in the girls’ hostel, with first-year students being placed in double-occupancy rooms. “These are baseless accusations. I visited the first-year students’ rooms only after they repeatedly complained about the shortage of space. I was accompanied by the chief warden and a female security guard,” he said.

Meanwhile, Raj Lali Gill, the Chairperson of the Punjab State Women Commission, has written to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi recommending the “immediate removal” of Prof. Singh “to restore a safe and respectful environment on the university campus.” Ms. Raj Lali Gill’s recommendation came a day after she met the protesting students and directed the University administration to constitute a “neutral committee by including student representatives” to hold talks with the agitating students. Additionally, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has reportedly taken cognisance of the students’ grievances and assured them of prompt action.

‘Grave breach of privacy’

Refuting Prof. Singh’s claim, a fourth-year female student told The Hindu that he failed to give either the students or the hostel warden any prior notice of his visit. “According to hostel regulations, access to the girls’ hostel is restricted to female members of the university, and even parents are denied entry unless explicitly authorised. This unannounced visit constitutes a grave breach of our privacy, especially since this is our personal space, and often we are not dressed comfortably enough to interact with any male member of the college community,” she said.

Students further claimed that the chief warden and a female security guard only arrived to accompany Prof. Singh after being summoned by the students themselves. “The VC didn’t just visit the first-year students; he also entered the rooms of third-year students. If his intention was solely to address the space issues affecting first-year students, why did he feel the need to enter the rooms of third-year students, who reside in an entirely separate block?” a third-year female student questioned.

However, this is purportedly not the first instance of inappropriate behaviour exhibited by Prof. Singh. Several students, speaking on the condition of anonymity, alleged that since his appointment in March, he has made sexist and insensitive remarks on multiple occasions. A written representation submitted by the students to the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court — who also serves as the ex-officio Chancellor of the University —attributes numerous instances of moral policing to the VC.

“Ladki ho, domestic violence ya marriage jaisa Act uthao aur aaram se ghar par course karo. Kyu itna complicated aur naya topic leti ho (You are a girl, pick a law like domestic violence or marriage and stay back at home and pursue the course. Why do you take such a new and complicated topic),” Prof. Singh allegedly told some female students, as per the representation accessed by The Hindu. Additionally, he reportedly questioned the attire of some female students on one occasion, allegedly saying, “Tumhare maa baap tumhe paise dete hai aise kapde pehanne ke liye?” (Do your parents give you money to buy such clothes?).

No headway in admin-student body talks

On Thursday (September 26, 2024), several students alleged that the university administration made calls to their parents in an attempt to stifle the protests. They claimed that their parents were warned that their child “would be expelled from the university” and that “their future would be ruined” if they continued to participate in the protests. Prof. Singh, however, denied the allegations and told The Hindu, “No calls were made. These are just lies and false accusations.”

Negotiations between the protesting students and the University administration have repeatedly failed to yield a consensus.  Further, three faculty members from the nine-member committee constituted by the University to facilitate discussions with the students have resigned without providing any reasons.

Several students reported to The Hindu that they have been protesting in sweltering heat and unfavourable weather conditions, with some even losing consciousness and requiring medical attention. “We tried to arrange for tents, but the university administration intervened and directed suppliers not to honour our requests,” a third-year student alleged.

Notably, an office order issued by Dr. Naresh Vats, the Officiating Registrar of the varsity, had announced that the institution would reopen on September 27, 2024, and “classes would be held as per time-table.” The University was earlier shut down on account of the ongoing protests.

“We have students from all across the country, and returning home in the middle of the academic session is not feasible for them. The majority of students have requested that we resume classes, as the Bar Council of India mandates a minimum attendance threshold,” Prof. Singh told The Hindu.

However, students unanimously boycotted classes on September 27, 2024, even though faculty members and the administration were back to work.

Unresolved grievances

This is not the first student-led protest that RGNUL has witnessed. In 2019, approximately 400 students agreed to end a five-day indefinite sit-in only after the administration committed to revoking the suspension of six students who had advocated for improved hostel food, enhanced library access for women, and the removal of discriminatory curfew restrictions in the girls’ hostel. “Our seniors had protested for the establishment of an official students’ association nearly four years ago, yet no progress has been made on that front. It is incredibly difficult to voice our grievances without an official representative body,” a fourth-year student said.

Concerns have also been voiced by female students regarding inadequate security measures. “Since the university is located on the outskirts of Patiala, the road in front of the campus remains deserted. We have repeatedly urged the administration to install streetlights, CCTV cameras, and set up a police outpost near the main gate. But our grievances have been dismissed citing a lack of requisite funds,” a student told The Hindu.

‘Students must play active role in administration’

In recent times, NLUs — once hailed as “islands of excellence” by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh — have witnessed a wave of student protests fueled by a range of factors such as exorbitant fees, inadequate infrastructure, and administrative apathy. For instance, in 2019, students at NLU Odisha rallied against the administration in response to poor living conditions, steep tuition fees, and instances of sexism on campus. In 2022, students of Dharmashastra National Law University (DNLU), Jabalpur staged a hunger strike for similar grievances.

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In February, the Gujarat High Court expressed profound discontent at “incidents of molestation, rape, discrimination, homophobia, favouritism, and suppression of voices” at Gujarat National Law University (GNLU) in Gandhinagar reported by a fact-finding committee. The varsity’s Registrar, Jagadeesh Chandra TG, also tendered an unconditional apology to the Court for his initial dismissal of the allegations.

According to Prof. (Dr.) Faizan Mustafa, noted academician and VC of Chanakya National Law University (CNLU), Patna, NLUs witness significantly fewer student protests compared to other universities. “Students in NLUs generally exhibit far greater restraint and refrain from engaging in any form of violence. They exercise their right to protest peaceably without arms. I do not see any problem with it,” he told The Hindu.

Dr. Mustafa further opined that students, as primary stakeholders, should play an active role in administrative decision-making. “When it comes to conflict resolution, I believe the responsibility lies with the head of the institution to take the initiative. Throughout my 15-year tenure as the VC of various NLUs, I have never subscribed to the “control model” of university administration. Involving students meaningfully in administrative decisions fosters trust between them and the administration. Ultimately, universities are better run from classrooms than from the VC’s office,” he added.

Published - September 28, 2024 12:11 am IST