JNU imposing fine over protests, banning registration, say students

NEW DELHI: A section of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has claimed that the administration has imposed thousands of rupees fines on them for participating in protests and “banned” them from registering for the next semester. 

The amount of fine varies from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, the students claimed and accused the administration of “harassment”. However, JNU chief proctor Rajnish Kumar Mishra has denied the allegations, saying the actions are taken after following due procedure. 

Among the students, who have got notices, are student activists former JNU Students Union vice president and PhD scholar Simone Zoya Khan and Kaushik Raj.  Kaushik has been served notice for the 2018 protest in which, he claims, he did not even present. As per the notice dated August 29, Kaushik has been directed to submit Rs 10,000 by September 5 “in any case”. 

“...He is therefore directed to deposit the amount of Rs 10,000. Otherwise, he may not be allowed to register during the coming semester until he gets clearance from the office,” the notice read. Speaking to PTI, Kaushik, who is in his final year of PhD, alleged that the fine imposed on him is erroneous as he was not present during the protest in 2018 where several students gathered in a seminar room against compulsory attendance. Kaushik fears that he will not be allowed registration for the new semester and all his hard work will go waste.