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Hansraj suspends 30 students for ‘defaming college on social media’

Students accused of indiscipline; principal says students ‘our children’, but wrong to make ‘false allegations’

4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 27, 2026 01:39 AM IST

Take, for instance, recent reports on Delhi University colleges that have cracked down on student protests over a range of issues, from UGC equity regulations to defamation of colleges on social media. Or, the labelling of universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi or Jadavpur University in Kolkata as “anti-national”. Instead of encouraging healthy questioning and critical thinking, and engaging in debates and discussions, the tendency is to shut it down by marking dissent as problematic (Express Photo)

Over the past week, at least 30 students have been suspended at Hansraj College for reasons that include “defaming the College through social media platforms”, and “use of derogatory language”.

The extraordinary disciplinary action at one of Delhi University’s top colleges came through five notices issued by the administration between April 20 and 25. The notices, which did not specify the length of the suspensions, also referred to the violence and indiscipline during the college festival earlier this month.

Among the suspended students are all four office-bearers of the students’ union, who have been barred from entering the college premises except to write their examinations.

Principal Rama Sharma defended the action, saying it was necessary to restore order on campus. It was “wrong” on the part of the students “to put false allegations on the college and defame it on social media”, Sharma told The Indian Express on Sunday.

The first notice, issued on April 20, targeted a single student, Parth Srivastava, who, the college said, had been “found involved in acts of indiscipline, including defamation of the institution and use of derogatory language against Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff”.

Srivastava, the notice said, had been given “multiple opportunities” to appear before a disciplinary committee, but he had “neither expressed remorse nor acknowledged his conduct”.

Srivastava, a former president of the students’ union, acknowledged that he had posted videos on social media criticising the college administration, including on issues of fee hikes and the functioning of the institution. But he claimed that he had not been heard.

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“They didn’t even care to send an email to me…no show-cause notice was published…no proper hearing was done,” Srivastava told The Indian Express. He said he had already moved the Delhi High Court against the college. “It (the action) was completely arbitrary in nature,” Srivastava said.

A second notice issued the same day named 14 students for being involved in “acts of indiscipline, physical violence, and disruption of campus order” during the annual fest on April 8 and 9.

Videos from the time showed chaos outside the college gates, with students purportedly clashing physically with each other.

A third notice, issued on April 22, placed another four students under suspension citing a “serious incident of physical violence…on 15th April, 2026”.

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The next notice, issued the following day, accused seven students of involvement in “acts of defaming the College through social media platforms and engaging in activities that have adversely affected the academic environment”.

The students were suspended “pending further inquiry and final decision”.

Abhijit Singh, the president of the students’ union, alleged that “a lot of people [were]…more active…in the social media campaign”, but still, “these seven were suspended intentionally”. Some students were targeted because they intended to contest elections to the union, Singh said.

The last notice, issued on April 25, suspended the president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary of the union. “In view of the serious incident of violence, misconduct, and breach of discipline…the Students’ Welfare and Discipline Committee has recommended the suspension of the office bearers,” the notice said.

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Singh said the union was targeted for protesting against permissions for the fest and subsequently, against the disciplinary proceedings notified over the preceding days. “This is discriminatory action,” he said.

Principal Sharma, however, said: “Maximum students come to Hansraj College to study; their academic performance should not be disturbed… This is a very prestigious college.”

She described the suspended students as “our children”, and said, “We only want them to realise their mistake, not to ruin their future… Students can approach us instead of defaming the college on social media.”

The principal said two college committees track CCTV footage to keep an eye on the activities of students on campus and ensure discipline.

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Hansraj students had protested in February against the wedding of the principal’s son on campus, which they alleged had shut off access to the college grounds. Tensions over fest permissions had begun soon afterward.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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