Tuesday, September 14, 2010

AMU Proctor Office is expert in fictional report

Deputy Proctor Dr. Fareed A Khan


".....went to I.G.Hall on instigation of Mr.Shujatullah and Mr.Irfan Khan along with them and 30-35 other students on 31.10.2009 at around 12.15 pm.There he tried to enter inside the I.G. Hall. They threatened the girls( leaving for homes) for forcefully kidnapping them if they shall go home in response to the notice of the closure of the University. They were later on chased by the C.O Civil Lines, Inspector Civil Lines and Proctorial Team Members/ Security"...Page No.14, 
Departmental Inquiry Report submitted by Deputy Proctor(Convener) Dr. Fareed A Khan & Dr. M.Kaleemuddin Ahmad, Asst Proctor( Member) & Dr. Mohd. Israel( Member) on the events of October, 2009.

Well well this portion seems to be straight out of a script of any Abbas Mastan directed  bollywood movie, which is full of action. There are villains, there are the oppressed female community who were at the verge of getting kidnapped and there are the real heroes who colorfully showed their heroism by chasing the villains. This Mr.Irfan Khan,Phd, Mass Communication( Recipient of Gold Medal from Minister of HRD for securing highest % in his graduation in India) got suspended recently for speaking to the media "without the permission of the lawful authorities" . A disgraceful act for any villain I must say. His villainy disappointed us here. 

Till now RTI Act, 2005 exposed many negative aspects of the AMU administration. But who knew that this would also discover the hidden qualities of the Proctor Officials in writing fictional stories( leaving apart the level of English in the report). I mean you ask by using the RTI Act to furnish any complaint letter from any girl who received threats of getting kidnapped and you will get the answer, "No records available in Proctor Office".  So sitting in the air-conditioned room of Proctor Office when one start emulating the literary qualities of Sydney Sheldon or Sharadindu Chatterjee( who wrote Bomkyesh Bakshi series) in writing thriller or inserting thrilling plots in the Departmental Inquiry without relying on single evidence or facts on record one cant but heap praise on them. Hopefully soon we can hear that teachers at AMU waiting in line to be Asst.Proctor or Dy.Proctor at AMU to hon their writing skills. I mean no doubt if this trend continues may be someday we can have some names nominated from the Proctor Office for Man Booker Prize in Fiction. 

These people do not have even a single evidence( mind it I said single) on record and they went on to write 14 page or 10 page or 6 page Inquiry Report where students forcefully close the classes, or manhandle journalists, or kidnap girls or make violent attack on Offices and Officials. If there are incidents of violence let it be recorded and take due action on the guilty as per the law. But why these people from the Proctor Office relish in lying to the world? What prompt a teacher to forget all the ethics and morality and becoming a liar in order to make students villain and there people the hero thus forgetting the fact that teachers are presumed to be the ideal for the students? Why there is no check from the higher authorities on such blatant practice of lying and rather they mouth the same words written in such fictional reports? 

In the Inquiry Report on my second suspension the Asst.Proctor Dr.Nafees Ahmad wrote that I am "playing in the hands of some disgruntled elements and sick minded people of the university who do not want to see peace, progress and prosperity in and around the campus". Very well said and good that university is also concerned about all these factors, also about the surroundings whose filthy streets recently were discussed in the yahoo groups. But when a RTI application was filed to know the names of these disgruntled elements and sick minded people the answer was again the same "No list of such disgruntled and sick minded peoples is available in this office record". So what we can interpret? That our Proctor Officials don't know what is an Inquiry Report and how to write it( which any official writes based on evidences and facts on record and not sheer imagination) and they rather believe they are in a short story writing competition organized by the AMU authorities where one must flaunt the power of imagination to frame students with as many angles as possible. What are the prizes by the way for justifying the butchering of students career with such fictional reports? Another better post at the University or immediate holding of Selection Committees and ready promotion? To quote iconic singer Bob Dylan again the answer my friend is blowing in the wind. 

There is another interesting Inquiry Report submitted by Dr. Hasan Imam, Asst. Proctor on the matters concerning Mr.Afaq Ahmad, M.Phil Mass Communication. Let me not discuss it line by line else it would be another literary review of fiction for which space is very limited. But the modus operandi in writing that is also the same to victimize this poor student who exposed the corruption in the Dining Hall of V.M.Hall and today facing the brunt that I can say. 

There is a quotation by Martin Luther King( Jr) where he lamented the silence of the good people. 
It is like, " History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. "

Next time you need to read a thriller story in your leisure time. Just order for such Inquiry Report at the Proctor Office, AMU. I bet you won't be disappointed.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Who is a Provost at AMU? Know your University functionaries

                                                                                                               Prof.Mohammad Habib, 1st Provost of Aftab Hall in 1932-34 and a world famous historian on Medieval India


Section 7 of Chapter XXIII of the Aligarh Muslim University Ordinances( Executive) 
Power and Duties of Provosts of Halls of Residence and N. R. S. C.

(i) The Provosts shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Statute 11 of the Statutes of the University, and shall receive such allowance as may be fixed by the Executive Council.
(ii) The Provost shall allot students to various Hostels in the Hall of residence at the time of admission.
(iii) The Provost shall be responsible for the maintenance of personal records of the students in respect of their academic performance and character.
(iv) The Provost shall be responsible to look after the general well-being of resident students particularly sick students who are hospitalised.
(v) It shall be the responsibility of the Provost to promote the corporate life of the students in the Hall and to provide amenities for reading room, games, sports, cultural and literary activities, Coaching & Guidance Cell, and other extra curricular activities, to the extent possible within the financial allocations made for the purpose.

(vi) The Provost shall supervise the functioning of the Dining Hall in his Hall of Residence, and shall be responsible for providing economical, hygienic and reasonably nutritious food to resident students. The Provost shall also be responsible to ensure continuous functioning of the Dining Hall and to ensure that all resident students take their meals in the Dining Hall as far as possible. For the purpose of effective functioning of the Dining Hall, the Provost should occasionally take meals with the resident students in the Dining Hall.
(vii) All concessions and financial assistance to students shall be awarded by the Provost on the recommendation of a Committee consisting of the wardens of the Hall, and one person nominated by the Vice-Chancellor, the Committee to be chaired by the Provost. The Provost shall ensure that all awards are decided within two months of closure of admissions. 
(viii) The Provost shall be responsible for the maintenance of discipine among the students within the Hall in accordance with Student's Conduct and Disciplinary Rules. Without prejudice to the powers given to various functionaries of the University, under Statute 35, the Provost may frame, with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor, such supplementary rules as deemed necessary for maintenance of discipline among students
within the Hall. Every student resident in the Hall should however be supplied with a copy of rules so made.
(ix) The Provost shall be in general administrative charge of the Hall of Residence and shall have the following powers and duties for that purpose:-
(a) To procure funds for running the Hall to maintain the accounts, to make necessary purchases and arrange for periodic stock verification in the manner prescribed.
(b) To look after the upkeep and maintenance of Hall buildings and equipments, through the Building, Electricity and other concerned Departments of the University.
(c) To appoint and to take disciplinary action in his capacity as appointing authority against 'D' category staff of the Hall establishment and to maintain their service records in accordance with University rules.
(d) To supervise the working of wardens and employees of the Hall and to ensure that they are doing their job to the best satisfaction of the students.

(e) To act as the drawing and disbursing officer of the Hall of Residence and to operate all
funds placed at his disposal by the Finance and Accounts Department of the University.
(f) To control shops and other commercial establishments within Hall premises in consultation with the Proctor.
(g) To correspond with the guardians of the students regarding illness, indiscipline, and non-payment of arrears etc., of the students.
(h) To ensure that no unauthorised person stays in the Hall of Residence.
(x) The Provost shall be assisted in the administration of the Hall by a number of wardens sanctioned for the Hall from time to time.
(xi) The Dean, Students' Welfare having been given the responsibility of coordination between various Halls, the Provosts shall attend all meetings convened by the Dean, Students' Welfare, and shall implement to the extent possible, all decisions made in such meetings.
(xii) The Provost may delegate some of his powers to the wardens of the Hall working under him for the purpose of better administration of the Hall, but over all responsibility shall continue to vest in the Provost.
(xiii) The Provost shall appoint all Hall and Hostel post holders from among the students of the Hall and fix their duties.
(xiv) The Provost shall arrange for holding periodic meetings of the Hall Council.
(xv) The Provost shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Vice-Chancellor and may exercise such other powers as may be laid down from time to time.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Know your University Functionaries: Proctor and his Power and Duties

                                                                                  Prof. Satish Chanda, Noted Historian, Former Proctor, Aligarh Muslim University



Section 6 of Chapter XXIII of the Aligarh Muslim University Ordinances( Executive)
 Powers and Duties of the Proctor :

A- Membership of the University Court, Councils and Committees :

(i) The Proctor shall be an ex-officio member of the University Court.
(ii) The Proctor shall be a member of the Executive Council.
(iii) The Proctor shall be a member of the Academic Council.
(iv) The Proctor shall be a member of the Admission Committee.
(v) The Proctor shall be a member of the Selection Committees for all posts of Category 'B' staff of 'security Services' Cadre of the University.
(vi) The Proctor shall be the Chairman of the Selection Committees for Category 'C' staff of 'Security Services Cadre of the University.
(vii) The Proctor shall be the member -Secretary of Discipline Committee.

B- Administrative Functions of Responsibilities : 

(i) The Proctor, in terms of Statute 35 (2) shall be responsible to maintain discipline among
University students and such functions shall be split into four parts namely :

(a) Monitoring the disciplinary climate prevailing in the students community .
(b) Taking preventive steps such as issue of notices, warnings, instructions regulating certain acts, and other arrangements for the purpose of forestalling acts of individual or collective indisicipline.
(c) The Proctor has to collect relevant facts about the incidents of indiscipline, evaluate the evidences and decide / recommend the quantum of punishment to be imposed on the erring students. Wherever considered necessary the Proctor has to place the relevant information before the Vice- Chancellor or the Discipline Committee for their decision.
(d) The Proctor shall issue all orders relating to disciplinary proceedings against students.


(ii) The Proctor shall make arrangements for the security of University establishments. He shall
extend all possible help to various departments of the University to ensure security and safety of
University property through the watch and ward staff working under him.
(iii) The Proctor shall make arrangements for the maintenance of Cycle/Scooter Stands in the
University.
(iv) The Proctor shall be responsible for the screening of applications for the contract of various
canteens/shops in the campus as well as checking of the credentials of the persons employed in
these establishments.
(v) The Proctor shall maintain liaision with the District Administration in matters regarding the law and orders situation in the University campus.
(vi) The Proctor shall be the Drawing and Disbursing Officer of his department and appointing
authority of Category 'D' staff working under him.
(vii) The Proctor shall perform such other functions as the Vice-Chancellor may direct from time to time.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Know your University Functionaries: Dean Students Welfare, AMU

Prof K A Nizami, Former Dean Students Welfare(D.S.W), AMU



Section 5 of Chapter XXIII of the Aligarh Muslim University Ordinances( Executive)

 Powers and Duties of the Dean, Student's Welfare:

A- Membership of the University Court, Councils,Faculty and Committees :

(i) The Dean, Student's Welfare (D. S. W.) shall be member of the University Court.
(ii) The D. S. W. shall be a member of the Academic Council.
(iii) The D. S. W. shall be a member of the Board of Secondary Education.
(iv) The D. S. W. shall be a member of the Committee of Examinations.
(v) The D. S. W. shall be a member of Library Committee.
(vi) The D. S. W. shall be a member of the Admission Committee.
(vii) The D. S. W. will be the Chairman of the Hall Amenities Committee consisting of all the Provosts, the Building and Electrical Engineers,the Chief Medical Officer, and such other functionaries as may be coopted, which will look into all matters connected with the basic student amenities in the Halls of Residence and the N. R.-S C., and will submit periodic reports
to the Vice-Chancellor.
(viii) The D. S. W. shall be a member of Discipline Committee and Games Committee.

B- Administrative Functions and Responsibilities :

(i) The D.S.W. shall coordinate the activities of the various Halls of Residence and the N.R.S.C.
(ii) The D.S.W. shall coordinate the work of allotment of residential accommodation and shifting of residental students from one Hall to another.
(iii) The D.S.W. shall monitor the functioning of the University Health Service and indoor treatment of students in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer and the Provost concerned.
(iv) The D.S.W. shall coordinate the proper functioning of the dining halls to ensure uniformity of cost and standards to the extent possible.
(v) The D.S.W. shall be the Chairman of the Canteen Committee. 

(vi) The D.S.W. shall be actively associated in the running of the Coaching and Guidance Centre, National Social Service Scheme, Employment Bureau, General Education Centre of the University and other co-curricular activities of students, in consultation with the In-Charge of the organisation concerned.
(vii) The D.S.W. shall be the Coordinator of Admissions of Foreign Students.
(viii) The D.S.W. shall co-ordinate and arrange the disbursement of all financial aids, scholarships, stipends etc. to the students.
(ix) The D.S.W. shall make arrangement with Railway authorities for the issue of railway concessions to students during vacations for educational tours, and for students participation in extracurricular activities and sports.
(x) The D.S.W. will issue character certificates to the students after obtaining reports from the Provosts the Dean of Faculty concerned and the Proctor in respect of the students.
(xi) The D.S.W. shall perform such other functions for the welfare of the students as the Vice-Chancellor may direct as may be prescribed in the Regulations from time to time.
(xii) The D.S.W. shall be the Drawing and Disbursing Officer for his office and the appointing authority of 'D' category staff working under him.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Code of Conduct for Aligarh Muslim University Teachers


Code of Conduct for University Teachers

(Ref.: Recommended by the Academic Council at its meeting held on 30.3.76/17.4.76 and approved by the Executive Council on 20.4.1976.)

“Whereas, it is the responsibility of every teacher to advance and disseminate Knowledge through his/her professional activities;
Whereas, a teacher should always try to give his/her best to the students and to the institution;
Whereas, a teacher should always adhere to honest dealing and fair play;
Whereas, a teacher is good conscience should have the freedom of expression of opinion;
The following lapses shall constitute misconduct on the part of a University teacher:
1. Wilful failure to perform the academic duties assigned to him/her in accordance with the Act, Statutes and Ordinances.
2. Victimization of and discrimination against students, colleagues and other staff.
3. Inciting of students against other students, colleagues, the University administration and its employees. A teacher, however, shall have the right to express his/her opinion and ventilate differences on matters of principle in meetings, seminars or formal assemblies of students.
4. Raising question of caste, creed, religion, race or sex in his/her relationships with students, colleagues and other staff, with a view to furthering one’s prospects.
5. Refusal to carry out the decisions of competent authorities/bodies and officers of the University in due exercise of their functions, made in accordance with the Act, Statutes and Ordinances. A teacher shall, however, have the right to express his/her difference with the policies and decisions of the authorities and officers of the University.
Notwithstanding anything herein before contained, bona fide criticism or expression of opinion by any teacher shall not constitute misconduct.”

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Code of Conduct for AMU Students


Aligarh Muslim University Students Conduct and Discipline Rules 1985
(Approved by the Academic Council at its meeting hold on 6.10.1985)


Contents
Part-I
General
1. Title of the Rules:

These Rules shall be called “The Aligarh Muslim University Students Conduct and Discipline Rules, 1985.
2. Date of Commencement:
These Rules shall come into force with immediate effect.
3. Applications of Rules:
These Rules shall apply to all the students of the University, whether admitted before the date of enforcement of these Rules or afterwards.

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Part-II
Indiscipline and Misconduct
4. Acts of Indiscipline and Misconduct:

Any act of misconduct committed by a student inside or outside the campus shall be an act of violation of discipline of the University.
Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, violations of the discipline shall include:
(i) Disruption of teaching, student examination, research or administrative work, curricular or extra-curricular activity or residential life of the members of the University, including any attempt to prevent any member of the University or its staff from carrying on his or her work;
and any act reasonably likely to cause such disruption.
(ii) Damaging or defacing University property or the property of members of the University or any other property inside or outside the University campus.
(iii) Engaging in any attempt at wrongful confinement of teachers, offices, employees and students of the University or camping inside or creating
nuisance inside the boundaries of houses of teachers, officers and other members of the University.
(iv) Use of abusive and derogatory slogans or intimidatory language or incitement of hatred and violence or any act calculated to further the same.
(v) Ragging in any form
(v) (i) “The word ‘ragging’ means the action of teasing, playing a practical joke upon someone or holding comic parades and other activities during certain period of a College term to raise money for charity”

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Ragging includes Display of noisy, disorderly conduct, teasing excitement by rough or rude treatment or handling, including in rowdy indisciplined activities which causes or likely to cause annoyance undue hardship, physical or psychological harm or raise apprehension or fear in a fresher or asking the students to do any act or perform something which cause him/her shame or embarrassment or danger to his/her life. Forms of ragging to address senior or ‘Sir’ perform mass drills; copy class not for the seniors; sever various errands; do menial jobs for the seniors; asks/answer vulgar questions; force to look at pornographic pictures to freshers out of their innocence; force to drink alcohol, scalding tea, etc. to do acts which an lead to physical injury, mental torture or death; strip kiss or do other obscenities.
(vi) Eve teasing or disrespectful behaviour to women or girls students;
(vii) An assault upon, or intimidation of, or insulting behaviour towards a teacher, officer, employee or student or any other person.
(viii) Causing or colluding in the unauthorized entry of any person into the campus or in the unauthorized occupation of any portion of University premises, including hostels or halls of residence, by any person;
(ix) Getting enrolled in more than once course of study simultaneously in violence of the University rules;
(x) Committing forgery, tampering with or misuse of the University documents or records, identification cards, etc.,
(xi) Furnishing false certificate or false information to any office under the control and jurisdiction of the University;
(xii) Consuming or possessing alcoholic drinks, dangerous drugs or other intoxicants in the University premises.
(xiii) Indulging in acts of gambling in the University premises;
(xiv) Possessing or using any weapons such as knives, Lathis, iron chains, iron rods, sticks, explosives and fire arms in the University premises.
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(xv) Arousing communal, caste or regional feelings or creating disharmony among students;
(xvi) Not disclosing one’s identity when asked to do so by an employee or officer of the University who is authorized to ask for identity.
(xvii) Tearing of pages, defacing, burning and destroying of books of any library or seminar.
(xviii) Unauthorised occupation of hostel, rooms or unauthorised acquisition or use or University furniture in one’s hostel room or elsewhere.
(xix) Accommodating guests or other persons in hostels without permission of the Provost or Warden.
(xx) Improper rendering of accounts for money drawn from or through any office under the control and jurisdiction of the University.
(xxi) Coercing the Medical Staff to render Medical Assistance to persons not entitled to the same or any other disorderly behaviour;
(xxii) Any act of moral turpitude;
(xxiii) Any offence under law;
(xxiv) Committing any of the offences specified in the examination (Control of Unfair Means and Disorderly Conduct) Regulations of the University.
(xxv) Violation of the Traffic Rules as notified by the Proctor.
(xxvi) Improper behaviour while on tour or excursion.
(xxvii) Pasting of posters or distributing pamphlets, handbills etc. of an objectionable nature or writing on walls and disfiguring buildings, and
(xxviii) Any other act which may be considered by the Vice-Chancellor or the Discipline Committee to be an act of violation of discipline.

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Part III


Officers authorized to take disciplinary action
5. Without prejudice to the powers of the Vice-Chancellor as specified under Status 35(1), (2), (3) of the Statutes, the following persons are authorized to take disciplinary action by way of imposing penalties as specified in part IV of these Regulations;
1. Deans of the Faculties/Dean, Students’ Welfare
2. Principals of the Colleges/Institutions
3. Chairmen of the Departments of Studies
4. Proctor
5. Librarian, Maulana Azad Library
6. Provosts of Halls of Residence and N.R.S.C.
7. Secretary, University Games Committee
8. Any other person employed by the University and authorised by
the Vice-Chancellor for the purpose.
6. (i) Any penalty enumerated in Rule 7 may be imposed by the
Vice-Chancellor upon the recommendation of the Discipline
Committee constituted under Ordinances (Academic) Chapter
XI.
(ii) Penalties other than those specified in Clause (ix), (x), (xi), (xii) and (xiii) of Rule 7 may also be imposed by any of the Officers enumerated in Rule 5, within their respective jurisdictions.
(iii) Penalties on the offences relating to Examination will be dealt by the relevant bodies.
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Part IV
7. Nature of Penalties:
The following penalties may, for act of indiscipline or misconduct or for sufficient reasons, be imposed on a student, namely:
i) Written warning and information to the guardian
ii) Fine upon Rs. 500/- which may extent upto Rs. 2,500/-
iii) Suspension from the Class/Department/College/Hostel/Mess/Library/ or availing of any other facility
iv)Suspension or cancellation of Scholarships, fellowship or any financial assistance from any source or recommendation to that effect to the sanctioning agency
v) Recover of pecuniary loss caused to University Property
vi) Debarring from participation in Sports/NCC/NSS and other such activities
vii) Disqualifying from holding any representative position in the Class/College/Hostel/Mess/Sports/Clubs and in similar other bodies
viii) Hostel shift and Hall shift
ix) Sent down
x) Expulsion from the Department/Faculty/Hostel/Mess/Library/ Club for a specified period
xi) Debarring from an examination
xii) Issue of Migration Certificate
xiii) Expulsion from the University for a specified period
xiv) Disqualifying from further studies, or prohibition of further admission or re-admission.

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8. Any student against whom a charge of misconduct has been made may be suspended from the rolls of the University by the Vice-Chancellor, pending enquiry or pending trial or a cognisable offence by a court of law.
9. No penalty, provided in Clause (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii) and (xiv) of Rule 7 shall be imposed without giving the student a reasonable opportunity of being heard.
10. A review of disciplinary action/actions initiated against a student would lie with the officer issuing the orders, within seven days, and an appeal would lie against the orders of the authorities mentioned in these Rules (except the Vice-Chancellor) to the Discipline Committee.

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Friday, August 6, 2010

AMU Vice-Chancellor is mislead and misleading


Aligarh, August 6- This refer to the Press Release by the Public Relation Officer, AMU Dr.Rahat Abrar on August 1, 2010 to report the Press Conference organized by the Vice-Chancellor, AMU.

Aligarh Muslim University has captured a lot of space in the National Media for the last few months for illegal suspensions of students for practicing freedom of speech and expression to air the grievances of the students, a fundamental right as ensured under article 19(1)(a) of Indian Constitution. The PRO Office AMU has the dubious distinction of misleading the Indian Media about the draconian crackdown on the students which is a commonplace under the regime of the tainted Vice-Chancellor Prof. P.K.Abdul Azis who want to silence the slightest criticism from the students on the subject of civil liberties, human rights and financial bungling. Earlier in a Press Release of 15 November, 2010 the PRO stated, “During the last 2 years, the University administration has not suspended or rusticated any student for violation of code of conduct rules.” However their blatant lie was exposed when a report on it was published in THE HINDU “According to the RTI response, in 2007, 32 students were suspended in September, six in August, 26 in October and 15 in November. In 2008, roughly 10 students were suspended. Of the students who were suspended in 2007, 28 students were rusticated in 2008. Thirty-one students were suspended in 2009 of which 18 were suspended in November. Of the suspended students, four were rusticated. In 2010, 12 students had been suspended till April taking the total count to 148 students who had been suspended, rusticated or both.(http://www.thehindu.com/2010/06/15/stories/2010061565940300.htm)

Again the AMU authorities are apparently misleading the media and the world about the sad state of affairs here where students are at the end. In the recent Press Release it is stated “Replying to a question Prof. Azis said that the University has suspended four students in 2010”, whereas in a RTI respon vide D.No.144 /Proc dated 14.06.2010 se the Proctor Office informed me that they have suspended 14 students till date ( Irfan Khan, Jamil Akhtar, Shahnawaz Alam, Dhananjay Singh Jadon, Rohit Sharma, Roopendra Singh, Rizwan Abid, Tanzeel Ahmad, Mohd. Maaz, Kumar Gaurav, Mohd Faheem, Afaq Ahmad, Md. Adil Hossain, Irfan Khan).

It seems either the Vice-Chancellor, AMU doesn’t bother to collect proper information from the Proctors Office or he want to defend his regime which is tainted with autocratic suspensions of brilliant students who dare to criticize him by lying to the world.

In another place it is written in the Press Release, “Referring to the allegation that democratic rights of AMU students were being undermined the Vice Chancellor said that the students were enjoying the right to air their grievances through Grievance Redressal Committees at department and hostel levels.”

It seems that the Vice-Chancellor has grossly misunderstood the concepts of democracy and above all democratic rights. Democratic rights (here this is referred to is the freedom of speech and expression) are not for seasons or for certain days but it exist every moment for every citizen living in a democracy and also it is not confined within a space. This is a universally accepted principle and it was aptly reflected in the ruling of United States Supreme Court in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969) wherein it states, “A student's rights, therefore, do not embrace merely the classroom hours. When he is in the cafeteria, or on the playing field, or on [513] the campus during the authorized hours, he may express his opinions,” it also went on to state "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."

The Grievance Redressal Committees at the Department and Hostel levels are defunct bodies which neither empower neither students to air their grievances freely nor they have any legal validity. Since last students agitation no meeting of such committees have taken place and never happened to be fruitful. So the Vice-Chancellor is completely in darkness about the state of affairs of his own university. The students who had the grievances from January, 2010 till date where they would put up their problems if such committees exist in air ? The people who wrote the AMU Act, 1981 clearly gave the students their democratic representation in the statutory bodies like AMU Court and Academic Councils which the AMU Vice-Chancellor is ignoring violating his own duties under the statute 3(2) of the same Act. Secondly he showed his knowledge of democratic rights which should be brushed up by some expert on it when he suspended Mr.Irfan Khan, Research Scholar for speaking to the media “without the permission of lawful authorities”. The Irfan Khan case should hang our head in shame.

The Press Release of August 1 also stated, “The Vice Chancellor assured that the Students’ Union will be revived when the time is ripe.” It is the right of the students to have their Students Union under statute 34 of the AMU Act, 1981 and the sentence is written there is as “there shall be”, so its restoration is mandatory. When all exams are being conducted peacefully, when all meetings of AC, EC, Court are being conducted without any hassle what kind of peaceful academic atmosphere this Vice-Chancellor need to restore the AMUSU. He should better leave fooling around people with the words “ripe” when he does not want any democratic body at the campus which threaten his Sultanate.

AMU students are not fools and know it very well how to restore democracy and rule of law at the campus. With the growing resentment in the campus, and denying of any safety valve for releasing the pressure, the day is not far when another revolution will take place to witness some decisive moments for the “democratic rights”.