South Asian University suspends four teachers for ‘inciting’ students’ stir

This action follows months of student protests last year against the reduction of monthly stipends for Master's students.

South Asian University, DELHI'S SOUTH Asian University (SAU), South Asian University suspends four teachers, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

One of the suspended faculty members, who did not wish to be named, told The Indian Express, “This looks like a targeted action against four people in the university who were simply trying to tell the administration to resolve the issues amicably.”

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DELHI’S SOUTH Asian University (SAU) has suspended four faculty members, citing “misconduct”, after issuing show-cause notices, which accused them of “inciting students against… the interest of the University” in violation of the university’s code of conduct. This action follows months of student protests last year against the reduction of monthly stipends for Master’s students.

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Officials at South Asian University confirmed the suspension of four faculty members. The faculty members who have been suspended are Dr Snehashish Bhattacharya from the Faculty of Economics, Dr Srinivas Burra from the Faculty of Legal Studies, Dr Irfanullah Farooqi from the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Dr Ravi Kumar from the Faculty of Social Sciences.

An office order, dated June 16, states, “…there are allegations of misconduct under Regulation 17.8 and the code of conduct prescribed in the Bye Laws of the University… which need to be investigated…”

The showcause notices, sent to the faculty members in December, state that the faculty members “incited” students against “colleagues, the administration and against the interest of the University”. They also ask if the faculty members were part of “Aijaz Ahmad Study Circle-A Marxist Study Circle Run by the Students of the South Asian University”. The notices stated that a protesting student had circulated an email condemning the entry of Delhi Police into the campus and asked the faculty members if they were part of any “Marxist Study Circle”.

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“The university has accused the faculty members of instigating students to protest; failure to perform appropriate duties and; association with a Marxist study circle,” said a faculty member, who has been suspended.

When asked whether SAU asked the faculty members to explain themselves with respect to charges, including writing letters to the university community and questioning administrative decisions in relation to the student protest, the university said, “The said faculty members were asked to explain their certain conduct and as per the SAARC inter-governmental agreement, rules, regulations, and/or bye-laws of the University.”

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SAU is an international university sponsored by the eight member States of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. Earlier in Chanakyapuri, its campus was recently shifted to Maidangarhi.

In September 2022, the students started a protest after the university administration revised the stipend for master’s students from Rs 5,000 to 3,000. They demanded that instead of being reduced, the stipends should be increased to Rs 7,000. Although the university first revised the stipend amount to Rs 4,000 and then back to Rs 5,000, the students’ protest continued. The university, however, refused to meet the Rs 7,000 stipend demand.

In October, the administration called the police to the campus to disperse the students who had gathered at the Acting President’s office. Subsequently, 13 faculty members wrote to the university, requesting that the situation be de-escalated.

In November, the university issued orders announcing expulsion, rustication or suspension of five students, after which 15 faculty members wrote an email to the university community, expressing concerns regarding the actions of the university administration, which “were taken without following any due process”.

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The students started a hungerstrike and later in November the police were allegedly called to the campus again to disperse the students. After several students fell sick during the hungerstrike, and with vacations being announced, the protest wound up in December. The show-cause notices were issued after the protest ended.

“The university in the suspension letter has not given us any reason. It only stated the regulation of the university which is basically about the misconduct of the teacher… they have not told us what the misconduct is. We are also surprised because 13 people wrote in October and 15 people wrote in November. Why are they picking only four people” said a suspended faculty member.

The university constituted a fact-finding committee in May this year to inquire into the involvement of faculty members in the protest.

“During the interaction with the committee on May 19, 2023, the faculty members were asked to provide answers to between 132 and 246 questions in writing by the end of the working day, using pen and paper and sitting in front of the committee members,” said another faculty member who did not wish to be named. “The entire incident seemed to be to establish a basis for retaliating against the faculty members and subjecting them to punishment.”

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The four teachers did not respond to the questions on May 19, but instead requested the Acting President on May 25 for a meeting to discuss the issue and provide any clarification, if needed. On June 16, the university issued the orders placing the four teachers under suspension.

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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