Court Upholds TISS Student Suspension Over Protest Participation

The Bombay High Court has upheld the suspension of Dalit PhD student Ramadas K S from the Tata Institute of Social Science for participating in an anti-national protest. The court noted the protest was politically motivated and unsupported by TISS. Ramadas's scholarship remains suspended.

In a significant ruling, the Bombay High Court rejected the plea of Dalit PhD student Ramadas K S, confirming his suspension by the Tata Institute of Social Science (TISS) for alleged participation in anti-national activities. Ramadas had been accused of joining a politically charged protest in New Delhi.

The division bench, comprising Justices A S Chandurkar and M M Sathaye, found no illegality in the suspension order enacted by TISS, dismissing the student's petition as it lacked merit. The court highlighted that the protest brought disrepute to TISS, as Ramadas acted under the banner of the institute's student organization.

Despite Ramadas's claim of suffering from the suspension's consequences, such as loss of scholarship, TISS countered that he had alternate channels to appeal within the institution. The court supported the institute's stance, reinforcing that personal political views should not reflect upon or implicate institutional representation.

(With inputs from agencies.)