Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court has reinstated Vikrant Singh’s studentship, a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati (IIT-G) in Assam.
He was expelled from his PhD program in 2021.
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The court deemed the termination arbitrary, allowing him to complete his doctoral studies.
IIT-G officials accused Vikrant of disrupting the academic environment, alleging that he had defamed institute staff through social media posts and offensive communications.
A letter from the IIT-G Joint Registrar of Students’ Affairs, dated June 25, 2021, described Vikrant’s actions as “highly disruptive” and labeled them an “offence of the highest order” in an academic institution, leading to his immediate expulsion.
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Vikrant’s legal team contested the decision, arguing that he was not given a chance to defend himself against the accusations.
Meanwhile, Justice Michael Zothankhuma noted that the termination violated natural justice principles, as Vikrant was not provided with copies of the complaints, disciplinary committee recommendations, or the senate resolution that led to his dismissal.
The court ruled that no hearing had been held before the termination and declared it arbitrary. It annulled the June 25 letter, ordering IIT-G to allow Vikrant to finish his PhD.
However, the court allowed the institute to reopen the inquiry, provided it follows proper procedures and natural justice.
Additionally, the court instructed Vikrant to submit an undertaking to the registrar, agreeing to follow IIT-G’s rules and not engage in any actions that could disrupt the academic environment.