HYDERABAD: For the first time, the University of Hyderabad is asking new students to sign an affidavit when they take admission to the University that lays down certain do’s and dont’s. The affidavit they sign requires students not to get involved in any kind of protest or even criticise university policies on social media. If students fail to abide by these rules, the university can take disciplinary action against them, which could even amount to cancelling the admission.
“I will not misuse or misrepresent the name of the university through social media,” the affidavit reads. Students are also not allowed to invite the media without written permission from the designated University authorities. Student leaders of UoH say the affidavit is unacceptable and completely against the fundamental rights of students and freedom of expression.
Student leaders say the affidavit is unacceptable and is against the fundamental rights since it denies them the right to protest on campus. It also violates UGC's Students Minimum Entit-lement guidelines, 2013. K.S. Roy Chowdary, vice-president of the Students Federation of India, said, “The university wants to control students with these new rules and regulations. If students sign such affidavits, legal cases can be booked ag-ainst them, which will affect the student community."
K.P. Manojan, who is studying human rights at UoH, said that the university wants to “mould the newcomers so that they will not be able to participate in protests.”' T. Sriranga Rao who practices in the High Court, said that if students sign the affidavit they have to follow it at any cost. “These kinds of rules are against the Constitution as they violate freedom of expression and speech. It is not good of the University to do this, but students should not create a nuisance; protests should always be within limits.”
