Teachers and students from various universities gathered at the Press Club of India on Sunday to express solidarity with professors Salil Mishra and Asmita Kabra, protesting against their termination from Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD).
The solidarity meeting organised by the Democratic Teachers Initiative (DTI) and the All-India Students Association (AISA) demanded the revocation of the termination, calling it an attack on academic freedom.
The faculties from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Delhi University joined the gathering to “Defend Academic Freedom.”
Prof. Salil Mishra, a history professor, and Prof. Asmita Kabra, from the School of Human Ecology, were dismissed on November 5th by AUD’s Board of Management (BoM) over alleged procedural lapses in the regularization of 38 non-teaching staff in 2018 under the ‘One-Time Absorption Policy’, which aimed at formalizing the employment of staff who had contributed significantly to the university’s early development.
While no evidence of corruption or financial irregularities was found, the inquiry committee termed the professors’ actions as ‘conduct unbecoming of a public servant’, ultimately leading to their termination.
Speaking at the press conference -cum- protest gathering, Uma Gupta, convenor of the Democratic Teachers’ Front said, “Dr G.S. Patnaik’s committee exonerated all administrators involved in the decision-making and implementation of the regularisation policy. Yet the BoM chose to disregard this and set up another committee, which still found no evidence of malafide intent or financial irregularities,” she added. The decision has sparked widespread criticism, with many pointing out that Dr G.S. Patnaik’s committee had cleared them of wrongdoing.
“Dr G.S. Patnaik’s committee exonerated all administrators involved in the decision-making and implementation of the regularization policy,” said Uma Gupta, convenor of the Democratic Teachers’ Front.
“Yet the BoM chose to disregard this and set up another committee, which still found no evidence of malafide intent or financial irregularities,” she added.
“This is a punishment for standing up for equitable public education,” she said. Prerna, the All-India Students’ Association (AISA) president at AUD, highlighted the impact on students.
“When our teachers are attacked, our education is attacked. We stand with them,” she said.
JNU’s Professor Atul Sood described the terminations as part of a broader attempt to stifle dissent and academic dialogue. “This isn’t just about AUD. It’s a message to all educators to stay silent,” he said.
Gopalji Pradhan, the vice-president of the Ambedkar University Delhi Faculty Association, called the terminations a calculated move to intimidate dissenters. The protest ended with calls for collective action to protect academic freedom.
“We will not be silenced. Reinstating professors Mishra and Kabra is just the beginning,” said one speaker. Several criticized the silence of the Delhi government, which oversees Ambedkar University, Delhi.
The Indian History Congress in a resolution statement issued on November 14th also condemned termination stating, “the executive committee after scrutinizing the essential facts of the case, strongly feels that no person should suffer for administrative action taken, in all sincerity, and without any benefit for themselves. Otherwise, any measure of territorial reform or employee relief would become impossible.”
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