Today, On 12th March, The Bombay High Court upheld the suspension of Dalit PhD scholar Ramadas KS from TISS over alleged “anti-national activities.” A Division Bench of Justice AS Chandurkar and Justice MM Sathaye dismissed his plea challenging the institute’s decision. The court found no grounds to interfere with the disciplinary action taken. The ruling reinforces institutional authority in handling student conduct cases.
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court dismissed the plea of Ramadas KS, a Dalit PhD student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), who challenged his two-year suspension for alleged repeated misconduct and “anti-national activities.”
A Division Bench consisting of Justice AS Chandurkar and Justice MM Sathaye rejected Ramadas’s appeal, stating,
“The petition is dismissed with no order as to costs.”
A detailed copy of the judgment is still pending.
Ramadas, a member of the Students Federation of India (SFI), filed the petition in May 2024, seeking to overturn his suspension, which he claimed was imposed without proper consideration of his explanations.
TISS had suspended him based on findings from an Empowered Committee that investigated his conduct, including his involvement in protests.
The university’s suspension order highlighted Ramadas’s activities, asserting that his actions were not in the nation’s interest.
Specifically, TISS pointed to his participation in a January 2024 protest in Delhi under the Progressive Students Forum (PSF)-TISS banner, labeling these activities as inappropriate for a public institution. The university stated that it could not permit students to engage in actions deemed detrimental to national interests.
In his petition, Ramadas argued that the suspension infringed upon his constitutional rights, including the right to freedom of speech and association.
He also referenced University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, which encourage universities to create environments for critical thought and open debate, free from discrimination based on student identity or political beliefs.
Ramadas alleged that TISS had created a false narrative to tarnish his reputation, punishing him for his political activities and viewpoints.
In addition to contesting his suspension, Ramadas sought a court order to allow him to return to the TISS campus, continue his academic work, and receive his entitled stipend.
Advocates Lara Jesani and Rishika Agarwal represented Ramadas, while Advocates Rajeev Panday and Ashish Kanojia, assisted by PRS Legal, represented TISS.
Advocate Rui Rodrigues appeared on behalf of the University Grants Commission, and Advocate Shilpa Kaptil represented the Union of India.