St Stephen’s ‘suspends’ 100 students for not attending assembly

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NEW DELHI:

St Stephen’s College

has allegedly

suspended

around 100 first-year students for not attending

morning assembly

, according to a teacher. The college has also threatened to debar the students if they do not call their parents.
The students and teachers have written to Principal John Varghese, urging him to immediately withdraw the order of suspension and the threat to debar them from examinations. Over 100 first-year students received an email on February 17, stating that they had been suspended and would be

debarred

from the second-semester examination. The reason given was their failure to set up an appointment with the principal in response to an email sent on February 4, regarding low attendance in morning assemblies in January 2024.
A teacher expressed concern over the students missing classes and mentioned that many of them are living alone without any guardian. The students collectively replied to the principal, explaining that setting an appointment was not feasible as their parents do not live in Delhi and it was not possible for them to travel on short notice. Associate Professor Sanjeev Grewal wrote to the principal, expressing shock at the development and stating that morning assembly attendance should not be grounds for debarring students from examinations.
He also mentioned that the morning assembly is specific to St Stephen’s College and is not recognized by the university. He requested the administration to withdraw the order of suspension and the threat to debar students. He also emphasized that attendance in the morning assembly and religious instruction should be voluntary, as guaranteed by the constitution. The students and teachers are awaiting a response from the administration.