SSUS Syndicate allows conditional withdrawal of suspension for 12 SFI activists
The revocation of the suspension for 12 students is subject to an unconditional apology regarding a protest held on August 13.
The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) Syndicate decided on Monday to permit the conditional withdrawal of the suspension of 12 out of 16 students, according to The Hindu. The students were suspended following a protest led by the Students Federation of India (SFI) on August 13, 2026.
The revocation is subject to the students submitting an unconditional apology stating they will not breach disciplinary norms in the future. The suspension of four students, including university students’ union chairperson Archana P.S., has been extended for two more months. They are accused of being actively involved in SFI organisational affairs during the disciplinary period.
A five-member Syndicate committee report alleged that protesters staged a mock funeral of Vice-Chancellor Ciza Thomas. The Syndicate stated that CCTV footage confirmed the participation of the suspended students. The SFI leadership rejected these allegations, claiming Department of Theatre students staged a symbolic protest regarding damaged spotlights.
University authorities issued a release on Monday rejecting claims that damaged lights were used during the protest. The Head of the Department informed the Syndicate that the lights were damaged during the 2018 floods. The university noted no complaints about damaged lights were received between 2018 and March 2026.
SFI State Secretary P.S. Sanjeev said the suspended students will not submit an unconditional apology and announced an indefinite protest. Meanwhile, the Sanskrit University Janakeeya Samrakshana Samithi, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), organised a march to the Kalady campus on Monday.
Police stopped the march, which included CPI(M) activists, suspended students, and their parents.