HC seeks report from IIT-Kanpur over students’ suspension

KANPUR: The Allahabad high court has sought a report from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) on the suspension of 22 students over allegation of ragging of juniors on the intervening night of August 19 and 20.

The order was passed by justice Sunita Agarwal on Monday while hearing the case.

The suspended students had filed five separate writs in the court against the order of the IIT-K senate suspending them from one year to three years for the alleged ragging.

The suspended students have sought revocation of the order of the senate.

As per the senate order, the accused students did not have the right of appeal till the period of their suspension was completed. The senate had suspended 16 students for three years (six semesters) and six students for one year (two semesters).

The students alleged that they were not given an opportunity to be heard and that the senate announced its decision on the report of the dean, students’ affairs, who had submitted his report to the senate on September 5.

The senate, at its meeting on September 12, approved the report of the dean and suspended the students.

IIT-K acting director Dr Manindra Agarwal said the matter was with the registrar.

Registrar KK Tiwari told HT that the senate was the highest academic body of the institute and it would decide its course over the court’s directives.

The IIT-K had nothing to do in the matter, he added.