NEW DELHI — In a move that has sharply divided the university community, the Office of the Dean of Students' Welfare (DSW), Delhi University, issued a formal advisory Wednesday afternoon urging students to "refrain from participating in protests at Jantar Mantar" and warning that "unauthorized absence from scheduled academic activities may attract provisions of Ordinance VII (Attendance) and Ordinance XV-B (Discipline)."

The advisory, signed by Dean of Students' Welfare Prof. Rajni Abbi and circulated to all 91 colleges and 16 faculties/departments via the university's official communication channel, marks the first direct institutional intervention by DU administration in the ongoing student protests over exam paper leaks.

📋 Full Text of DU Advisory (Ref: DSW/2026/452, Dated July 23, 2026)

Subject: Advisory regarding student participation in protests at Jantar Mantar

To: All Principals, Heads of Departments, Faculty Deans, College Nodal Officers

  • It has come to the notice of the university administration that a significant number of students are absent from classes to participate in protests at Jantar Mantar.
  • While the university respects the democratic right to peaceful expression, students are reminded that attendance in lectures, tutorials, practicals, and examinations is mandatory under Ordinance VII of the University.
  • Unauthorized absence may result in: (a) Shortage of attendance below the 66.67% (2/3) threshold required for appearing in semester examinations; (b) Ineligibility for internal assessment marks; (c) Disciplinary action under Ordinance XV-B for willful disruption of academic activities.
  • College principals are directed to monitor daily attendance and report cases of sustained unauthorized absence to the DSW office.
  • Students facing genuine difficulties (medical, family emergency) must follow the established leave application process through their college tutorial/incharge.
  • This advisory is issued in the larger academic interest of the student community to prevent inadvertent academic loss.
"This advisory is not about suppressing dissent — it's about protecting students' academic futures. The semester is at a critical juncture. Internal assessments are ongoing. Practical exams begin next week. If students fall below the attendance threshold now, they lose an entire semester. We're telling them: there are ways to protest that don't cost you your degree." — Prof. Rajni Abbi, Dean of Students' Welfare, Delhi University

The Attendance Crisis: By the Numbers

The advisory comes at a particularly vulnerable point in the academic calendar:

  • Odd Semester (III, V, VII): Teaching weeks 10-12 of 16 — critical content delivery phase
  • Internal Assessments: Mid-semester tests ongoing in most colleges (July 20-30 window)
  • Practical Exams: Scheduled July 28 - August 10 for science/vocational courses
  • Attendance Threshold: 66.67% (2/3) minimum for semester exam eligibility
  • Current Average Attendance: Estimated 55-60% in protest-affected colleges (North Campus, South Campus, Dhaula Kuan)

"I've missed 4 days of classes this week. My attendance in Physics was 68% — now it'll drop below 60%. If I can't sit for the semester exam, my whole year is wasted. But if I don't protest, who will answer for the paper leak that ruins my CUET score?" said a second-year BSc Physics student from Hindu College.

Student Unions: "Intimidation, Not Advisory"

The response from student organizations was swift and fierce:

🔴 DUSU (ABVP-led)

"The administration is doing the government's bidding. Instead of demanding CBI probe into paper leaks, they're threatening students who are fighting for ALL students' future. We reject this advisory. Protest is our constitutional right."

🔴 AISA (Left)

"This is intimidation, pure and simple. Ordinance VII has exceptions for 'university-approved activities.' Why not declare solidarity with anti-corruption protest as approved activity? Because they don't want accountability."

🔴 NSUI (Congress)

"VC and DSW are BJP appointees protecting the Education Minister. Students didn't leak the papers — NTA did. Punish the culprits, not the victims. We'll provide legal aid to any student penalized."

🔴 SFI (Left)

"Education is not a privilege to be withdrawn for dissent. The university should be passing resolutions supporting the protest, not issuing veiled threats. We're organizing a 'Class Boycott for Justice' Friday."

Legal Experts: Advisory on Shaky Ground

⚖️ Legal Analysis: Can DU Penalize Protest Participation?

Constitutional Position: Article 19(1)(a) & (b) guarantee freedom of speech/expression and peaceful assembly. Supreme Court (Romesh Thappar, 1950; Ramlila Maidan, 2012) has held peaceful protest is fundamental right.

Ordinance VII (Attendance): Mandates 66.67% attendance. But provides exceptions: "University-approved activities," "medical grounds," "other sufficient cause." Protest is not explicitly listed — but "sufficient cause" is interpretive.

Ordinance XV-B (Discipline): Covers "willful disruption of academic activities." Peaceful off-campus protest during non-class hours arguably doesn't qualify.

Precedent: Delhi HC (2019, JNU protest case): "Mere participation in peaceful protest cannot be grounds for academic penalty. University must show direct nexus between protest and academic disruption."

Risk for DU: If challenged in court, blanket advisory without case-by-case assessment may be struck down as arbitrary (Article 14 violation).

College-Level Responses Vary

Delhi Press Post contacted 15 college principals; responses fell into three camps:

Strict Compliance (5 colleges)

  • Hans Raj College: "Attendance will be marked strictly. No proxy, no exceptions for protest."
  • Ramjas College: "Advisory will be implemented. Students below threshold will be notified."
  • Kirori Mal, Hindu, Sri Venkateswara: Similar stance

Conditional/Case-by-Case (7 colleges)

  • St. Stephen's: "We respect students' conscience. Attendance shortfall due to protest will be reviewed sympathetically under 'sufficient cause'."
  • Lady Shri Ram, Miranda House, Jesus & Mary, Gargi, Kamala Nehru, IP College: Similar — women's colleges particularly cautious

Non-Compliance / Supportive (3 colleges)

  • Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening): "We won't penalize. Principal has written to VC requesting withdrawal of advisory."
  • Satyawati College (Evening), Shyam Lal College (Evening): Similar stance

VC's Silence, Political Pressure

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Yogesh Singh has not made a public statement since the advisory was issued. Sources indicate he is under pressure from the Ministry of Education (which appoints the VC) to "maintain campus discipline" while also facing faculty senate criticism for "academic leadership failure."

Meanwhile, 47 DU faculty members (including 12 department heads) have signed an open letter to the VC:

"We are teachers, not attendance policemen. Our job is to educate, not to monitor students' political choices. This advisory undermines the university's moral authority. We urge its immediate withdrawal and replacement with a statement supporting students' demand for accountability in examination integrity." — Open Letter from DU Faculty (47 signatories)

What Students Can Do Now

  • Document everything: Keep screenshots of protest participation, transport tickets, social media posts as evidence of "sufficient cause"
  • Apply for leave: Submit formal leave applications to college tutorial/incharge citing "public duty / constitutional right to peaceful protest"
  • Request 'University-approved' status: Student unions can petition Academic Council to declare anti-corruption protest as approved activity
  • Legal recourse: If penalized, approach Delhi High Court under Article 226 (writ petition) — expedited hearing likely
  • Collective action: Mass leave applications overwhelm the system; colleges cannot process 2,000+ individual cases

What Happens Next

  • Today 6 PM: DUSU emergency meeting at Arts Faculty — deciding Friday's action plan
  • Tomorrow: Faculty association general body meeting — possible no-confidence motion against DSW
  • Friday: "Class Boycott for Justice" called by AISA/SFI/NSUI — mass attendance test
  • Next Week: Academic Council emergency meeting (if 1/3 members requisition) — advisory review
  • Legal: PIL being drafted for Delhi HC — "Protection of Student Rights During Protest"

The advisory has achieved what the paper leak couldn't: united a fragmented student movement. As one protester put it at Jantar Mantar Wednesday: "They leaked our papers. Now they're leaking their fear. We're not going anywhere."