Chandigarh: More than 200 students have been protesting since September 22 (Sunday) demanding the resignation of Jai Shankar Singh, the vice chancellor (VC) of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Law (RGNUL) in Patiala, Punjab after he entered the girls’ hostel on the grounds of ‘inspection’ without prior notice, violating their privacy. The students view this visit as the tipping point in a series of incidents that have led to their indefinite sit-in.
Several women students, speaking on the condition of anonymity allege that since Singh’s appointment in March he has made sexist comments and insensitive remarks on multiple occasions and has excessively interfered in their academics.
Additionally, in an application addressed to the VC that this reporter has access to, 162 students called for stronger safety measures in May this year due to frequent instances of eve-teasing and sexual harassment of women students outside the university gates. However, students say that little progress has been made in addressing these demands.
This is not the first student-led protest in RGNUL against sexism and administrative issues. In 2019, around 400 students ended their five-day indefinite sit-in protest after the administration agreed to revoke the arbitrary suspension of six students who protested for better hostel food, library access for women, and the removal of discriminatory curfew restrictions in women’s hostels. The university had also terminated the employment of an administrative officer who was accused of sexism.
Since the 2019 protests, the university has made concessions, including extending reading room access until midnight, revising curfew times from 8 pm to midnight for all students, and addressing concerns regarding hostel food. However, a key demand that remains unmet and fuels the ongoing protests is establishment of an official student representative body. The students allege there is rampant maladministration in its absence.
Now, the protesters have written to the university chancellor, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana high court Sheel Nagu, and are awaiting a response.
Meanwhile, the VC dismissed the claims made by the students saying, “What would I do with the children?” while speaking to media persons on Wednesday (September 25).
“Agar koi mahila teacher lagati to main phir bhi samajta but baccho ke sath main kya karunga (If it were a female teacher making these claims, I might still understand, but what would I do with the children?)” Singh said.
On Monday, the university campus has been shut down till further orders.
Pervasive moral policing
On Sunday, the VC entered the premises of the girls’ hostel on the pretext of a ‘routine check,’ say women students. This is despite hostel rules which state that the premises of the girls’ hostel can only be visited by female members of the university.
A notice pasted outside the girls’ hostel prohibiting men from entering the premises. Photo: By arrangement
The visit as communicated to the students was purportedly to inspect the functioning of the mess and address the lack of accommodation for first-year students who had previously complained about being forced to share single occupancy rooms due to space constraints.
Also read: Protests Erupt at RGNUL Over VC’s Alleged Misconduct, Students Demand Resignation
“The VC not only visited the first year rooms, but the third year students’ rooms as well. One student had just got out of the shower when he showed up and she asked him not to come in. He did anyway. He also made derogatory comments about girls wearing shorts,” shares Shikha*, a third-year law student from RGNUL. This, however, is not the first time, that the VC has made such comments, say students.
Another student alleges that their PhD topic on theoretical criminal jurisprudence was rejected because she was advised to focus on subjects suitable to women.
“Ladki ho, koi domestic violence, marriage jaisa Act uthao aur aram se ghar se PhD karo. Kyun itna complicated aur naya topic leti ho (You are a girl. Pick a topic like domestic violence or marriage laws and comfortably do your PhD from home. Why choose a complicated topic?),” the VC told a student, as per a public statement shared by the protesting students.
‘Avoid internships, moot courts, competitions’
The Bar Council of India, the body that regulates legal education and the legal profession in India, mandates that students enrolled in a five-year integrated law degree programme must complete a minimum of 20 weeks of internship before graduating.
Despite this, students say, that the VC actively discourages students from applying for internships, participating in moot courts, preparing for competitions, or indulging in any other co-curricular activities. On several occasions, students say, the VC has even gone as far as to insult students who express interest in these activities.
“He is actively hindering our academic future,” says Neetu*, a third year RGNUL student. Since his appointment, the VC has changed class timings from 9.15 am to 2 pm to a longer schedule ending at 4:45 pm.
This increase in classes, students say, adds to their burden and leaves them with little time to pursue anything outside of academics.
“He has made our lives extremely difficult. From sexist comments, to disrupting classes, opposing our academic choices and even dictating the kind of notebooks we use, he has infiltrated every aspect of our lives,” adds Neetu*.
Restrictions on mobility
On one occasion, a male guard denied a female student permission to leave the university premises to visit her home, despite her carrying a leave pass. He remarked, “Aise kapde pehen ke ghar kon jata hain? (Who goes home wearing such clothes?),” shared a student.
Following a tragic road accident outside the university premises in May that claimed the lives of four RGNUL students, the university revised its timing regulations. The new policy allows students to stay off-campus between 4 pm and 8 pm, a change from the previous 2 pm to 8 pm window. The students have criticised the revised timings, labeling them ‘arbitrary’.
In case students have to go out of the campus before 4 pm, they have to seek permission from the faculty. “But most of the time, faculty members are busy attending this or that meeting. Every time I have an appointment, be it with a doctor, or just to be somewhere for work, I struggle,” says Neetu*.
While the hostel curfew for both girls and boys is set at midnight, female students who are even a minute late are required to fill in their details in a register, but that is not the case for boys.
Women expressed despair that despite being adults and the constitution guaranteeing them equal rights, they are treated like children and face restrictive rules, only allowed to leave after 4 pm or with parental permission.
“The VC says these restrictions are for our safety, but the measures we have been requesting for actual safety are ignored. Instead, they just limit our movement,” say students.
Similarly, last year the Uttar Pradesh government had issued an advisory to private coaching institutes to avoid night classes for women to ensure the safety of girls.
Shambhavi Sharma, a gender researcher, activist and the general secretary of Collective, a student organisation that addresses student issues across India, says:
“This [the RGNUL case] is nothing new. Caging women in the name of safety has long been the norm — whether within families, at universities or through state policies. For instance, IPCW in Delhi university recently barred women from accessing the campus at night, after enforcing an 8 pm hostel curfew. Similarly, following the protests over the rape-murder in Kolkata, the West Bengal government issued an advisory discouraging women from working night shifts, rather than focusing on creating safer public spaces with better transport and street lighting.”
Unsafe campus
The Sidhuwal-Bhadson road where the university is located remains mostly isolated and has very few street lights raising the risk of sexual harassment, say students.
“Every time I step out with my friends, either to go the nearby dhaba or to take a walk with my friends, there is someone stalking us. There is also the added risk of speeding vehicles making it hard to navigate the road,” says Srishti*.
The students had written to the administration to reach out to relevant state authorities to install speed breakers, increase street lighting, ensure regular police patrolling, set up CCTV cameras, and a bus stop outside the college to enhance safety and increase foot traffic. While one CCTV camera has been installed near one of the university gates, the other demands remain unmet.
“Every ten days, we go to the administration and ask about updates, and they give us none. We have to live in constant fear,” said one student.
Notably, the RGNUL students also allege that several male teachers and an administrative officer frequently visit the gym during designated female hours, making students uncomfortable despite their protests.
India’s educational institutions have repeatedly faced criticism for neglect.
In two separate incidents last year, a woman student at IIT-BHU, Varanasi, and one student at English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad, were sexually assaulted on their respective campuses. Despite ongoing demands by the students of both these universities, there were inadequate redressal mechanism systems and a lack of commitment to implement safety measures.
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of students.
**We have submitted our concerns regarding these allegations to the vice Chancellor and administration. This copy will be updated when we receive a response.
Ankita Dhar Karmakar is an independent journalist.
