A meeting of the university's top brass chaired by the vice-chancellor today discussed the report following which the varsity issued show-cause notice to 21 students including Kanhaiya and Umar, who were found guilty of having violated university rules and discipline norms.

JNU row: 21 students get notice for 'violating rules and norms'

NEW DELHI: The high level inquiry committee set up by Jawaharlal Nehru University has recommended the expulsion of five students, including JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar who is out on interim bail, and PhD scholars Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, currently in judicial custody on sedition charges, top university sources said.The committee was set up to probe the February 9 event on campus where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.Four other students are likely to face suspension and a few others are to be let off with a fine. In all, 21 students are likely to get show-cause notice as to why action should not be initiated against them.JNU vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar has appraised the dean’s committee of the summary of the report and recommendations, which found these students guilty of violating the university’s rules and norms.According to sources present at the deans’ committee meeting, five students are to face rustication, “which means they will be asked to leave the campus and discontinue their studies. Four other students are to face suspension and could also be asked to leave their hostel.”The final decision on the quantum of punishment will be taken by the VC and chief proctor A Dimri after a scrutiny of the suggestions as well as the replies to the show-cause notices, the sources added.The high level enquiry committee submitted its report on March 11, after two extensions (February 26 and March 3). Following the February 9 protest event against Afzal Guru’s hanging, the vice-chancellor had set up a proctorial enquiry on February 10 and then replaced it with the high level committee on February 11.In its interim report, the committee recommended debarring of eight students from all academic activities but allowed them to stay in hostels as guests.On Monday, the university said the committee had unanimously found some students to have violated the university’s rules. “There are standard provisions in the university rules to take action in such cases. The high level inquiry committee recommendations are based on the rules of discipline and proper conduct of JNU,” the varsity said.The VC, after appraising the dean’s committee of the committee’s recommendations, said, “The office of the chief proctor would take further action by issuing show cause notices to the students who have been found violating the rules and norms of the university.”The university is likely to send out the show-cause late on Monday night or Tuesday morning, along with a summary of the charges against the students.Questions have been raised on the committee right from the beginning of the inquiry, with left-wing student’s groups and teachers slamming the university administration for debarring the students from academic activities even before the report came out.JNUSU vice president Shehla Rashid Shora on March 11, the day when the report was submitted, said they would not accept “whatever the report says as the committee has not worked in a transparent manner”.The students under scanner also decided not to depose before the committee and therefore this report has been prepared without hearing the defence of the 21 students. According to sources in the JNU administration, the students will be given three days to reply to the show cause notice as to why no action should be taken against them.JNUSU joint secretary Saurabh Sharma, who belongs to the BJP-aligned ABVP, said the university should release the report in public domain and added that no leniency should be showed on the guilty.