JNUSU rusticates JNUSU office-bearers over ‘property damage’

The order issued on Monday mentioned that a proctorial inquiry committee was formed to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations made by the acting librarian of the Central Library and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) regarding “vandalisation of the facial recognition technology (FRT) based access gates installed at the library”.

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration has rusticated four office bearers of the JNU students’ union (JNUSU) and JNUSU president Aditi Mishra for two semesters for “extensive damage to university property” during a November 21, 2025 protest at the Dr B R Ambedkar Central Library.

The students have been rusticated for two semesters (HT Archive)

The order issued on Monday mentioned that a proctorial inquiry committee was formed to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the allegations made by the acting librarian of the Central Library and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) regarding “vandalisation of the facial recognition technology (FRT) based access gates installed at the library”.

The order stated, “Given the serious nature of the offence and extensive damage to the university property, Ms. Aditi Mishra is rusticated for two semesters (winter and monsoon semester 2026) and declared out of bounds from the entire JNU campus with immediate effect. Anyone giving her shelter in any hostel/residences in the campus shall invite disciplinary action. A fine of ₹20,000 is imposed on her.”

Similar notices, seen by HT, have been issued to other four students.

Meanwhile, in a statement released late on Monday, JNUSU said, “The rustication and out-of-bounds orders reflect the anti-student agenda of the administration, which wishes to throw out the representatives elected by the students of the campus, for voicing nothing but the dissent of the students.”

It added, “The Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual cannot dictate the functioning of the union and cannot police our expression of dissent. Such crackdowns shall be dealt through with the same mandate. We call upon the student community to stand in solidarity with the union against this targeted assault on campus politics and the suppression of voices that question the administration.”