EFLU gang rape victim taken off varsity rolls

HYDERABAD: English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) has removed, a 23-year-old female student who is victim of a gang rape that is under investigation from its rolls. In a notice signed by the administrative higher-ups on January 13, the student along with 11 others were informed that their admissions stand cancelled as they failed to get the required score in the previous semester which ended in December, over a month after the gruesome incident took place the end of October.
The notice read that the 12 students “were not promoted to the next semester due to shortage of required credits. Therefore, their admission has been cancelled...” Sources revealed that the student along with others have been doing rounds of the university administration to a get a clear-cut explanation on the future course of action.
As per sources, the student was told that she will be allowed to write the supplementary examination to make up for the loss, soon after the instance. “Her parents were told that she will be allowed to write the supplementary examination. The university had also promised to give her any relaxation of rules which is required to help her cope with academics after the incident. The recent notice is contradictory to this announcement,” a source said.
While the supplementary examination is supposed to take place by the end of this month, those in the know of things said that only those students who are on rolls are legally allowed to write the examination. “Since her admission is cancelled she will now have to take readmission to write the examination, as per the university rule book,” a source said. According to sources, the student who is daughter of an Indian diplomat had been in the city even after the arrests were made. The accused in the case are currently out on bail. Meanwhile, sources pointed out that another student whose admission was cancelled was part of protests and negotiations that were happening on campus after the incident took place. “This student too is removed from rolls along with the girl, making the case a murky,” a source pointed out. The notice was issued by the controller of examinations of the university, though a copy was marked to the vice chancellor, Sunaina Singh and other administrative heads.
When asked about the incident, the university administration said that the removal from rolls had little to do with the rape case. “The notice was erroneously issued. Corrective action is being taken by the office of the Controller of Examinations. Students with more than two backlogs will have to repeat the semester when it is in the offer next,” a written reply from university authorities to a ‘TOI’ query read. However, when contacted to know when the student will be readmitted to the course, Eflu spokesperson said that “Each case is different. I am not aware of the identity of the girl.” However, sources revealed the till this newspaper contacted the university, no notice was issued to the students stating a correction in the previous order.
Shocked at the news, women’s rights activists said that the university should make required arrangements to get the student back to academics as soon as possible. “The student cannot be treated on par with others as she had gone through a traumatic experience. The university should make necessary arrangements to take her back. The administration should not have issued such a notice in the first place,” Devendra, a women rights activist and general secretary of Chaitanya Mahila Sangham said.