The Madras High Court has stayed the rustication order against a second-year MSW student, S. Aslam, who was studying at the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Sriperumbudur. The court allowed the student to write his exams and complete his internship, observing that denying him this opportunity would cause too much hardship.
The order was passed by Justice T.V. Thamilselvi on May 29, 2025, in response to a writ petition filed by Aslam. He was allegedly rusticated for painting graffiti reading “Jai Bhim and Free Palestine” on the hostel wall, which authorities claimed amounted to anti-national activity.
“Considering the welfare of the student/petitioner, the petitioner is at fag end of his career. If he is not permitted to attend the examination and internship programme it will cause too much hardship to the petitioner,” the court said while staying the rustication order dated May 25, 2025, issued by RGNIYD under reference RIGNIYD/Admin/2025-2026/058.
The court also directed the institute to reschedule Aslam’s examinations, issue his hall ticket, and permit him to attend the block placement programme in the Department of Social Work. Furthermore, the court instructed the institution to add Aslam back to the official WhatsApp group to enable him to continue his academic activities.
According to the petition, the incident took place on May 24, 2025, when the Assistant Registrar, Avinav Thakur, along with the hostel warden and assistant warden, discovered the graffiti. An enquiry committee was quickly formed the same day, which included several institute officials. The petitioner alleged that the enquiry was influenced by personal bias.
The sixth respondent (Assistant Registrar) harboured malafide against the petitioner for exposing a pending sexual assault case against him in Jharkhand, the petition claimed. The student also alleged that the enquiry was conducted unfairly. He received a summons for the enquiry only an hour before the scheduled time via WhatsApp and was denied a chance to present a reply or submit supporting documents.
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During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsels — B. Mohan, B.M. Subash, and M.H. Dawood — argued that the charges were arbitrary and based on assumptions. They submitted that Aslam had maintained a clean academic record, cleared all his exams, and fulfilled his responsibilities sincerely.
The petition also stated that Aslam and other students had been pressured during the enquiry to confess against fellow students involved in a protest held earlier in April 2025. Despite sending an email request to the Director of the institution seeking permission to attend examinations, Aslam claimed that no action was taken. Eventually, he was rusticated without a clear explanation of the charges.
“The rustication without informing the specific charges and branding the petitioner as involved in anti-national activity amounts to a violation of his right to dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution,” the petitioner contended.
Highlighting the irreversible academic loss he would suffer, Aslam sought the court’s intervention to allow him to complete his studies. Taking note of the situation, the court issued an interim stay and scheduled the next hearing for June 25, 2025.
Counsel for Applicant: B. Mohan, B. M. Subash, M. H. Dawood
Case Title: S. Aslam v. The Director, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Youth Development
Case No: WP No. 19760 of 2025
