In surprising news, over 100 students from St. Stephen College of Delhi University might not be allowed to sit in their upcoming semester’s exams due to not attending the morning assembly prayers. According to reports, the college administration distributed an email stating that this was a consequence of the student’s suspension due to low attendance in the morning assembly. The students had been suspended by the college principal because of failure to meet him regarding the low attendance in the morning assembly.
Numerous students as well as teachers have voiced their opposing views regarding this decision. According to sources, they say that forcing the students to listen to religious scriptures and preaching against their will and religious beliefs in unethical and contrary to the etiquette of any institute of higher learning.
Sanjeev Grewal, HOD economics, opposed the decision in a letter written to the principal, which said that over 140 students are being threatened with suspension not allowing them to attend their exams this semester, all for not attending the morning assembly prayers. His letter said that the failure to attend morning assembly is not grounds for suspension as it is a convention exclusive to the St. Stephen’s College, and not the University.
He said that making the assembly attendance compulsory may indeed be violative of the fundamental rights of students under Articles 25 and 28(3) of the Constitution, and hence illegal. College assembly has always involved religious prayers and reading from the religious scriptures. There is a freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious worship in certain educational institutions.
The student, on the condition of anonymity, said that emails were sent on February 17 to over 100 first-year students of St Stephen’s College, in which they were suspended and debarred from the semester 2 examinations. The reason cited was a failure to set up an appointment with the Principal in response to the email sent on February 4 wherein these students were asked to do the same due to low attendance in the Morning Assemblies in January. The students informed the principal and the senior officials that making such an appointment on such short notice was not feasible as most students’ parents do not live in Delhi-NCR. They also added that morning assembly attendance is not a factor of consequence in regards to debarment from examinations according the Uni. Rulebook
Some parents have met with the administration to address the issue.