06/08/2022
*AN OPEN LETTER TO THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION BY AISA*
Dear Law Faculty/University Administration,
We are writing this letter in deep pain, anguish, and fury. Pain because of the reported news of death by su***de of a fellow law student, anguish due to the complete disregard of the administration for student’s welfare, and fury at the way education system has been turned into an inhuman and anti-student bureaucracy run by political appointees. The reported death is the characteristic of the times and result of the institutional failing to address the concern of the students.
The first and second year students of the Faculty of Law are protesting to extend the date of examinations and increase the gap given between exams for past one week. On 4th August, Proctor Rajni Abbi, University of Delhi met with protesting students and promised that their demands will be fulfilled. However, there was no notification released to that effect and the administration willfully betrayed the faith and trust of the students. This resulted not only further degradation of students’ mental health but also compelled them to sit on a hunger strike.
In past we have repeatedly tried to remind institution of its responsibility towards student community, its absolute failure to recognize structural inequality along the lines of caste, class, gender, region etc, its apathy and non-existent mental health policy. We believe people in-charge of the institution have lost the trust of students’ community and have no moral authority to continue in their respected position. We want the institution to take responsibility of this unfortunate situation that we are faced with and the people in-charge must render their resignation to the students. This University belongs to the Students!
*We Demand:*
*• Accept the demands of the protesting students.*
*• Resignation of the people in-charge for betraying the trust of students’s community and they must take moral responsibility of this unfortunate situation.*
*• Initiate Mental Health Centre in each law centre and provide free counseling services to all the members of the institution.*
*• Implement the UGC mandated Guidelines on Safety of Students on and off Campuses of Higher Educational Institutions in full spirit.*
A lawyer whose statue faces the Dean Office, Faculty of Law, once rightly said:
*“There is a higher court than courts of justice. It’s the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts”.*
That lawyer was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The time has come for the institution to face accountability by the students’ community. Our demands must be accepted.
*We reiterate: This University belongs to the Students!*
In anger, fury, and at protest site,
*AISA*
Copy Sent to:
1. The Dean, Faculty of Law, Delhi University.
2. PICs- CLC, LC1, and LC2.
3. Dean of Examination, Delhi University
4. Proctor, Delhi University
5. VC, Delhi University