HYDERABAD: The University of Hyderabad, which witnessed protests lasting a few months over suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula last year, has made it mandatory from this academic year (2017-18) that all those who take admission in the university will have to sign an affidavit saying that they, "will not participate in any protest/demonstration which is not in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations of the university."
The move by the central university comes two years after English and Foreign Language University in Hyderabad passed the same order in 2015 making it mandatory for students who take admission in the university to sign a similarly worded undertaking.
The UoH affidavit not just prohibits students from participating in protests and demonstrations but also from criticizing the administration on social media and disrupting classes or obstructing activities on campus. It also says that the university reserves the right to take any disciplinary action against any student who flouts these rules.
The two-page document, which students have to sign, also reads: "I will abide by the rules and regulations of the university and shall obey and strictly adhere to the instructions of the university authorities from time to time."
While students of the University are up in arms against the affidavit, an official from the university downplayed the issue, saying, “We take a similar declaration from students for anti-ragging. It is nothing but a part of the compendium of forms, similar to what even the staff have to sign when joining the varsity. Signing the document does not mean students will be giving up the right to expression."
Citing University Grants Commission's (UGC) Students Minimum Entitlement - 2013 guidelines, the UoH Students Union said students could form unions and protest to express their thoughts and expression and that the university had no right to curtail the constitutional right of students to hold protests whenever required.
Munna Sannaki, a PhD scholar from the University, said, "Even we don’t want to protest and spend our time on it, but the university administration does not pay heed to us when we approach them through any other way."
Students union president, Kuldeep Singh Nagi, also raised the point that there was no discussion about the affidavit in Academic Council (AC) meeting.
However, a senior university official countered the argument saying that AC meetings were held for discussions on academics-related issues, whereas the issuance of the affidavit fell under administration's purview.