HYDERABAD: The University of Hyderabad (UoH) today rejected allegations of 'moral policing', a day after it suspended ten students for a period ranging from six months to two years from academic programmes and a hostel.
The allegations were levelled by a group of students.
Denying the moral policing charge, the varsity said in a release that a team of faculty administrators of hostels had found a girl student staying in a boy's room during a routine check of one of the men's hostels, which it said was unauthorised.
The varsity said the incident occurred in a Mens' hostel on the night of November 3 in which student boarders "prevented" wardens from discharging their duty.
The UoH said the team members were manhandled by a group of students who "switched off lights and threatened to assault the team".
"If not for the timely intervention of a couple of students and the police, the situation would have escalated into something worse," the release said.
Justifying suspension of students, the varsity said the girl's stay in the room was against the rules and hostel regulations.
"The intimidatory actions of students, including verbal abuse, physical jostling, and obstruction of faculty members who were performing their official duties that attracted disciplinary action," the varsity maintained.
It said separate hostels for boys and girls is a standard practice followed in all educational institutions in the country.
"However, the university might undertake a comprehensive exercise to elicit the views of all relevant stake-holders, including students and parents, about the kind of residential facilities they would like us to provide," the UoH said.
If further said if a majority of them feel that students should be able to stay in a co-ed hostel if they chose to, the university might consider creating such a space and allow students to formally register for such accommodation.
"But this is a process that cannot be taken up and completed overnight. Until then, the student community needs to avoid blatant breaking of rules and respect common residential and study spaces that belong to all students and other sections of the University community," the release added.
While three out of the ten students who were found guilty of grave charges were suspended for two years from academic programmes and hostel, seven students found guilty for indulging in related acts of stopping the wardens and security staff from discharging their duties have been suspended for six months from academic programmes and hostel, it said.