Amid the furore over the recent diktat, Jawaharlal Nehru University has now cleared the confusion over the ban on protests on campus. The clarification came after the student council – JNUSU – slammed the newly-issued manual that restricted protests near the academic block of the university.

The JNU authorities have clarified that there is no ban as such from protesting at all but students have been designated a different area for dharna protests as per the revised Chief Proctor Office (CPO) manual. It says, “We have not changed anything. These rules were already there in place. We have just introduced a few other regulations to ensure no disruption is caused to the academic process. Students still have the democratic right to protest at designated places.”

The Rs 20,000 fine for conducting protests in restricted areas of the campus is not a recent addition but an existing rule. The university’s executive council (EC) approved this rule unanimously last month, according to an official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Vice-Chancellor Santishree Pandit emphasized that the rules and regulations addressing misconduct have been longstanding within the university. The recent approval by the EC was aimed at ensuring the manual’s legal validity. She clarified that the fines are imposed for issues related to indiscipline, such as drinking, drugs, and misbehavior in hostels, as well as misconduct towards women. The proctor’s office has been taking action, including imposing fines and rustications, since 1969.