The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench has ordered the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University (MGAHV) to revoke the expulsion and suspension of students who had faced penalties after protesting alleged administrative corruption at the institution.
This case pertains to the expulsion and suspension of five students in January 2024 as a result of their protests against the purported illegal appointment of Bhimrao Maitri as Acting Vice-Chancellor. The students expressed their objections during Maitri’s Republic Day address and disseminated related reports on social media.
The university expelled Dr. Rajnish Kumar Ambedkar, Ramchandra, Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Niranjan Kumar, and Vivek Mishra without conducting a formal inquiry or allowing them an opportunity to defend themselves, an action that drew criticism from both students and academic circles as arbitrary.
In a related case, the Bombay High Court subsequently declared Maitri’s appointment as Acting Vice-Chancellor illegal and nullified it in response to a petition filed by Professor Laila Karunyakara.
After the expulsions, Niranjan Kumar and Vivek Mishra sought relief from the High Court and received a favorable judgment shortly thereafter. However, research scholars Rajesh Kumar Yadav and Ramchandra faced financial hurdles that delayed their ability to file petitions. They submitted complaints to the President’s Secretariat and the Ministry of Education but reported a lack of response for several months. Ultimately, in November 2024, they reached out to the Nagpur Bench with the assistance of advocate Nihal Singh Rathore.
Following nearly a year of hearings, the High Court on December 19, 2025, criticized the university administration and threatened formal action if the expulsions and suspensions were not rescinded. Subsequently, the university submitted an affidavit stating its agreement to revoke the punitive actions.
On December 22, 2025, the High Court formally recorded the withdrawal of the expulsions and suspensions based on the affidavit.
The situation at MGAHV has illuminated broader issues, with the university facing allegations of administrative mismanagement, discrimination against Dalit–Bahujan students, irregular faculty appointments, and instances of sexual harassment. In 2023, former Vice-Chancellor Rajnish Shukla resigned amid significant allegations. Meanwhile, Professor Karunyakara, who opposed the appointment of an Acting Vice-Chancellor, has remained suspended for nearly two years.
Students have also voiced concerns over academic delays, particularly regarding the PhD admission process for 2022, which has yet to yield results for more than 50 students, while admissions for 2023, 2024, and 2025 have not begun.
In response to the High Court’s ruling, expelled student Rajesh Kumar Yadav emphasized that the issue extends beyond individual repercussions, stating, “This is part of a systematic attempt to silence Dalit–Bahujan students. The court’s decision proves that our constitutional rights were violated. We now demand an independent investigation, under the supervision of a retired judge, into all fraudulent faculty appointments made between 2019 and 2023.”
Research scholar Ramchandra echoed these sentiments, stating that the university has become a center of administrative corruption and authoritarian governance. “We will continue the struggle for democratic spaces on campus. This is a students’ victory, and we will keep fighting for justice and students’ rights,” he added.
The MGAHV, founded with aims of advancing education, research, and social justice, remains under scrutiny regarding its governance. The recurring judicial interventions have intensified calls for sustained oversight from both students and academic observers.
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