Jamia Millia Islamia University issues "Show cause" notices to four students over CUET protest

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI): The Jamia Millia Islamia administration has issued showcause notices to four students for "gross indiscipline and misconduct" during a protest demanding admission in all courses through the CUET, a varsity official said on Friday. The four students were served notices on Wednesday, a day after ABVP activists created a ruckus on campus. The varsity administration has accused the four students of politicising the issue for "malafide political interests".

The students staged the protest without informing the administration and misbehaved with office and security staff, apart from using derogatory language against varsity officials, the notice stated. Ankita Manchanda (PhD in Chemistry), Shubham Rai (PhD in Peace and Conflict Resolution), Anant Rigu (BCom) and Md Nasir Khursheed (BTech) have been asked to explain within in a weak why action should not be taken against them. The ABVP, which organised the protest, has condemned the varsity's action. The University Grants Commission (UGC) introduced the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) last year for admission to graduate and postgraduate courses.

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However, earlier this month, Jamia Millia Islamia announced that it would stick to its own admission process. The protesting students demanded that the CUET be implemented for admission to all courses. In its notice, which was accessed by PTI, the varsity administration said the protesters "disturbed the office functioning of the administrative block with your unauthorised gathering and sloganeering and created a ruckus". "You also provoked students/outsiders in this unlawful gathering there to raise objectionable slogans against the university authorities... You also tried to malign the image of the University by spreading rumours," the notice stated.

"In view of the above-stated facts, it is prima facie established that you have committed acts of gross indiscipline and misconduct... You are, therefore, required to explain your position by 22.03.2023 till 5.00 pm as to why action should not be taken against you, failing which ex-parte action will follow," it added. Terming the varsity's action autocratic, the ABVP said in a statement, "We condemn the notices issued to students who were protesting peacefully against the CUET non-implementation. We demand the action by Education ministry and UGC for its autocratic action."