Supreme Court Reduces Suspension of TISS PhD Scholar Ramadas Prini Sivanandan

Supreme Court Ruling on TISS Scholar's Suspension

On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the suspension of Ramadas Prini Sivanandan, a PhD student at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, citing “repetitive misconduct” and alleged anti-national activities.

However, the court modified the suspension duration, reducing it to the time already served, thus allowing Ramadas to resume his studies.

The bench, comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan, emphasized the importance of enabling Ramadas to complete his doctoral program.

In response to the ruling, Ramadas expressed his gratitude through a Facebook post, highlighting that the denial of education affects not just individuals but also the fundamental rights of many students and the essence of campus democracy.

He reflected on the challenges faced during his suspension, stating that while it was a difficult period, he was proud to have contributed to the resistance.

Previously, on April 18, 2024, the institute had imposed a two-year suspension on him from the School of Developmental Studies in Mumbai.

Following his suspension, the Progressive Students’ Forum alleged that the action stemmed from his involvement in protests against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

They claimed that Ramadas, a student leader, had received a notice from the registrar in March 2024 regarding his activism, particularly his participation in a protest in Delhi and a social media post promoting the documentary Ram Ke Naam as an “anti-national act.”

This documentary, directed by Anand Patwardhan, won a National Film Award in 1992 and discusses the Hindutva campaign to construct a Ram temple at the site of the former Babri mosque in Ayodhya.

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences defended its decision, stating that Ramadas was suspended due to ongoing misconduct over time.

They noted that he had shifted his focus away from academic responsibilities, engaging in protests and events driven by personal political motives, despite multiple warnings to prioritize his studies.

In May 2024, Ramadas challenged his suspension in the Bombay High Court, but his plea was dismissed in March, leading him to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.

In his legal petition, he argued that the suspension was enacted without adequately considering his explanations and infringed upon his constitutional rights, including freedom of speech and association. He contended that the institute had constructed a narrative to discredit him for his political beliefs and activities.