A Delhi University (DU) student has been expelled for six months after allegedly writing the slogan "Scrap NTA" on a campus wall, as reported by PTI.
The female student, an MA student of Russian Language at the Department of Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian Studies, was earlier suspended for over two months following the incident.
According to official orders, the student was suspended on August 21 after a police complaint was filed against her, accusing her of writing the slogan on the university's North Campus wall on July 31. The university received a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) from the Maurice Nagar Police Station, stating that the student had been caught in the act of graffiti.
The suspension order, issued by the department, read: “As communicated by the Proctor, University of Delhi, you are hereby suspended from the Department of Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian Studies with immediate effect, as the University received a copy of FIR from Maurice Nagar Police Station stating that you were caught red-handed writing objectionable slogans on the walls of the University on 31.07.2024.”
On Monday, November 18, following the findings of an inquiry committee, the university decided to expel the student for six months, citing "misconduct."
The expulsion order specifies that the student will not be allowed to attend classes, take exams, or participate in any university activities during this period, PTI added.
Student organisation protests…
The Disha Students’ Organization, with which the student is affiliated, has condemned the decision, stating that the graffiti was part of a national campaign protesting alleged exam irregularities, paper leaks, and issues with the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The group highlighted that the slogan "Scrap NTA" was a legitimate expression of student dissatisfaction with the handling of exams by the agency.
In a statement, Disha Students' Organization accused DU of silencing dissent and claimed the university administration had ignored their attempts to engage with both the administration and the Delhi High Court regarding the expulsion. The group added that the university's legal response in court cited the expulsion as a deterrent against similar future actions by students.
The organisation also criticised the inconsistent application of rules, pointing out that during recent DUSU (Delhi University Students' Union) elections, both the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and National Students' Union of India (NSUI) were involved in defacing public property, but no FIRs were filed against them despite the court taking cognisance of the matter.
Today, Tuesday, November 19, the Disha Students' Organization organised a protest at the Arts Faculty on North Campus, denouncing the expulsion as “unjust.”
