The alumni of the MA Psychology (Psychosocial Clinical Studies) programme at Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) have issued a statement of solidarity with Prof Asmita Kabra and Prof Salil Misra, who were dismissed by the university’s administration.
The statement condemns what the alumni describe as a "suppressive" and "regressive" shift in the university’s academic atmosphere, driven by the current administration.
The alumni group expressed their strong objection to the actions taken against the two professors, whom they claim were “scapegoated for voicing concerns about the administration’s policies.”
In particular, the alumni expressed outrage over the administration's handling of the One Time Absorption Policy (2018), which was designed to regularise the positions of non-teaching staff who had been working on contract for extended periods. The professors were allegedly penalised for fulfilling their administrative duties related to this policy, which the alumni believe was done in the interest of fair treatment and regularisation of staff.
“We bear witness to the wrongful dismissal of Prof. Asmita Kabra and Prof. Salil Misra as an act of scapegoating faculty members for speaking up against the administration's conservative and exploitative policies,” the statement reads.
The alumni assert that such punitive measures are part of a larger trend of mismanagement and authoritarian control at the university, which has, according to them, deteriorated the quality of education and created an environment of fear, delays, and threats.
The alumni also recalled how the university’s infrastructure and academic freedom have suffered since 2019. Once recognised for its liberal and progressive atmosphere, AUD is now seen as increasingly stifling, with the administration imposing regressive ideologies and curtailing free expression on campus, the statement added.
The statement also expressed support for the AUD Faculty Association (AUDFA) and its resistance against the administration’s actions. The alumni called for the immediate reinstatement of Prof Kabra and Prof Misra, along with the full restoration of their benefits, and demanded a transparent and fair review of the inquiry that led to their dismissal.
