Improve academic ambience: CM to VCs after AMU, BHU incidents

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today wrote to vice chancellors and principals of all universities and colleges in the state to ensure academic ambience in the premises so that students are not influenced by any propaganda or anti-social elements.
His letter comes against the backdrop of reports of alleged links of a Kashmiri research scholar of the Aligarh Muslim University with terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and recent incidents of eve-teasing and vandalism on the BHU campus.
"It is expected of the VCs and principals to maintain academic ambience in the premises of universities and colleges so that students are not influenced by any propaganda or anti-social elements," the chief minister said in his letter.

Adityanath also emphasised on better dialogue between students and the university to avoid any confrontation and said the problems of students, if any, should be resolved on priority.
"It is expected of the VCs and principals to maintain academic ambience in the premises of universities and colleges so that students are not influenced by any propaganda or anti-social elements," he wrote.
"The activities of unscrupulous elements in hostels should be kept on watch and outsiders' influence on students should be take care of," the chief minister said, suggesting installation of CCTV cameras in campuses.

He said security of newcomers should be ensured, incidents of ragging should be checked and strict disciplinary action should be initiated against those involved in such activities.

"Initiatives of state and Centre like Stand up India, Start up India, Clean India, Digital India should be briefed to students. Points related to national unity and integrity should be included in the syllabus and students should be told about moral values," Adityanath said.
He also emphasised on meeting between head of departments with parents and regular classes in universities and colleges, and suggested holding of seminars and conferences and inter- university programmes for grooming students.
A research scholar hailing from Kupwara of north Kashmir was expelled by the AMU authorities earlier this month in the wake of reports alleging that he may have joined a terror group after his photo appeared in the social media showing him with an AK-47 rifle.

A team of senior AMU officials sealed the room of Mannan Basheer Wani (26) after they received a letter from the Superintendent of Police, Aligarh regarding the alleged "nefarious" activities of the student.
In Banaras Hindu University, several students, including women, and two journalists were injured a few months back in a lathi-charge by police in the campus. The trigger was a woman student of the Arts faculty alleging harassment by three men on a motorcycle inside the campus while she was returning to her hostel.
The violence erupted after some students, protesting against the incident, wanted to meet the vice chancellor at his residence. BHU's chief proctor O N Singh resigned taking "moral responsibility" for incidents of molestation and violence.

Last month, a group of BHU students torched a school bus and damaged half a dozen vehicles and an ATM cubicle inside the campus to protest the arrest of their leader, Ashutosh Singh - a member of the Samajwadi Party's student wing, for allegedly creating ruckus during a cultural event of IIT-BHU a few months ago.