Academicians for Ethical and Societal Values

The sanctity and autonomy of our academic  Institutions and Universities is being violated with impunity. Most recently this is exemplified by the events at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim Universities. Prior to this we have had protests at JNU and Hyderabad central Universities. These are high profile central Universities. The situation in all our State institutions is much worse and their autonomy and integrity has long been compromised. The students have shown great courage in opposing new charters, legislation and thoughtless policy decisions. On the other hand  the faculty at all our universities who are the custodians of not only their students,  but of knowledge values and the justice and ethical value system have been largely silent (except recently in JNU). The responsibilities of the faculty demand that they take more tangible action in support of  just causes. That be done  by consensus to persuade the powers that be. The least the faculty could do is to stand with the courageous students who are fearlessly exercising their constitutional and moral obligation to protest against what they think and perceive as unjust and unfair. Further they must also rise to raise strong and unequivocal voice against blatant abrogation of autonomy of the institution they serve. The violation has been so physical and violent that the police force not only enters into a university campus without permission of the university authorities but also dare to drag students out from library -- a physical corner of learning, contemplation and peace. In a university library and classroom are the two most sanctified spaces which have to be preserved at any cost. This is therefore an appeal to one and all who care for sanctity and autonomy of academic institutions, as seats of learning, refection and questioning, to endorse this statement. Signatories: Romila Thapar, Professor Emeriti, JNU Vikram Soni ,  UGC Fellow and Ex  Professor, Centre for theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia Naresh Dadich, Emeritus Professor, & Ex Director,  IUCAA Satish Abbi ,  Ex Professor IIT Delhi Anvita Abbi, Professor, JNU Tabish Qureshi, Professor, Centre for Theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia

The sanctity and autonomy of our academic  Institutions and Universities is being violated with impunity. Most recently this is exemplified by the events at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim Universities. Prior to this we have had protests at JNU and Hyderabad central Universities. These are high profile central Universities. The situation in all our State institutions is much worse and their autonomy and integrity has long been compromised. The students have shown great courage in opposing new charters, legislation and thoughtless policy decisions. On the other hand  the faculty at all our universities who are the custodians of not only their students,  but of knowledge values and the justice and ethical value system have been largely silent (except recently in JNU). The responsibilities of the faculty demand that they take more tangible action in support of  just causes. The least the faculty could do is to stand with the courageous students who are fearlessly exercising their constitutional and moral obligation to protest against what they think and perceive as unjust and unfair. Further they must also rise to raise strong and unequivocal voice against blatant abrogation of autonomy of the institution they serve. The violation has been so physical and violent that the police force not only enters into a university campus without permission of the university authorities but also dare to drag students out from the library -- a physical corner of learning, contemplation and peace. In a university library and classroom are the two most sanctified spaces which have to be preserved at any cost. This is therefore an appeal to one and all who care for sanctity and autonomy of academic institutions, as seats of learning, refection and questioning, to endorse this statement. Signatories (In alphabetical order) Anvita Abbi, Professor, JNU &.. Satish Abbi ,  Ex Professor IIT Delhi Naresh Dadich, Emeritus Professor, & Ex Director,  IUCAA Tabish Qureshi, Professor, Centre for theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia Vikram Soni ,  UGC Fellow and Ex  Professor, Centre for theoretical Physics, Jamia Millia Islamia Romila Thapar, Professor Emeriti, JNU